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Several Small Pickup Models Fare Poorly In Crash Tests

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The Associated Press

Published: July 24, 2008

WASHINGTON - The latest crash tests by the insurance industry raise safety questions about small pickups, which are drawing more interest because they get better mileage than larger trucks.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported Thursday that several small pickups from the 2008 model year offered dismal protection in side crashes. Versions of the Chevrolet Colorado and its twin vehicle, the GMC Canyon, without optional side airbags earned the institute's lowest rating of poor in the side test.

Several pickups were judged marginal, the second-lowest in the four-scale ratings, in the side tests: the Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi Raider without optional side airbags; the Ford Ranger; Mazda B-Series; and the Nissan Frontier without side airbags. The Ranger and B-Series, which share the same underpinnings, do not offer side airbags.

"More people may be looking at small pickups because of rising gas prices," said Adrian Lund, the institute's president. "Unfortunately, they won't find many that afford state-of-the-art crash protection."

The 2008 Toyota Tacoma was the only small pickup tested to merit the top score in side crashes. The Tacoma was tested with optional side airbags because the equipment will be standard on 2009 Tacoma pickups being shipped to dealers this month, the institute said.

Nearly 9,000 motorists died in side crashes in 2006, the second-most common after front-end accidents. Side airbags have been credited with providing additional protection. Automakers have said they will make the side airbags standard across their fleets by the 2010 model year.

In front-end crashes, the Tacoma, Dakota, Raider and Frontier received the top score, or good; the Ranger, B-Series, Colorado and Canyon earned the second-highest score, acceptable.

The institute noted that only a few of the vehicles offer anti-rollover technology called electronic stability control. Stability control is optional on the Tacoma and Frontier and unavailable on the other vehicles tested. It will be standard equipment on the Tacoma, Colorado and Canyon in 2009.

GM spokeswoman Carolyn Markey said the automaker conducts more than 150 types of crash tests on its vehicles and said the institute's test is "designed to simulate a very severe crash." She said the Colorado and Canyon have performed well in other consumer tests.

Chrysler LLC spokesman Max Gates said the Dakota had received the highest rating in every category of the government's front-end and side tests.

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