Midsize SUVs fare poorly in bumper tests

[ragingfish]

WASHINGTON - Midsize sport utility vehicles fared poorly in bumper crash tests performed by the insurance industry, including several that needed more than $2,000 in repairs following 5 mph collisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (news - web sites) rated nine vehicles in results released Friday. None got the institute's highest rating, but the 2003 Honda Pilot earned the second-highest rating. The Pilot sustained an average of $404 in damages in each of four tests. Automakers have criticized the bumper ratings, saying they have nothing to do with the safety of the vehicle. But the institute defends them, saying no vehicle should sustain major damage at the 5 mph test speed. "The manufacturers of these SUVs try to create a rough-and-tough image for them, but their bumpers are flimsy," said Adrian Lund, the institute's chief operating officer. The institute performed four tests, crashing both the front and rear bumpers into a flat barrier and a pole. The tests are designed to reflect fender benders common in heavy traffic or parking lots. The 2003 Kia Sorento sustained the most damage, with an average of $1,646 per test. The 2003 Toyota 4Runner, 2003 Infiniti FX35, 2004 Chrysler Pacifica and 2004 Cadillac SRX also sustained average damages of more than $1,200 per test, earning the institute's lowest rating. The Cadillac SRX and the Chrysler Pacifica both sustained $2,814 in damages, the highest amount, when they were backed into a pole. In each case, the tailgates weren't protected by the bumper and had to be replaced, Lund said. The 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor, 2004 Lexus RX330 and 2003 Nissan Murano all received the institute's third-highest rating. Each sustained an average of $789 to $988 on the tests. No midsize SUV from the 2001 to 2003 model years has earned the institute's highest rating on the bumper tests. The institute has given its second-best rating to four midsize SUVs: the Pilot, BMW X5, the Acura MDX and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, which has the same bumper design as the Oldsmobile Bravada and the GMC Envoy.

[Stang2Vibe]

Interesting how some of the most expensive SUV's are listed as performing the worst in this test. Unfortunately, the test is measured in the dollar amount of damage to the vehicle. If they were testing for safety, they would measure the damage in physical terms, not dollar amounts. I could be in an accident where my car was totaled and the damage very high in dollars, but walk away unharmed. In another accident, a pole or other similar object could pierce the driver's door, run clear through to the passenger door, and kill everyone in it's path, but only cost $700 to fix. Does that make it safer? I don't think so.Parts for a Cadillac or other similarly priced vehicle are going to be higher than those for a cheaper car. That is why I find it interesting that the Kia would cost so much to repair. Also, they mention that just because the liftgate is damaged, it must be replaced. Not many insurance companies are going to pay for this---they will force a body shop to repair it. I don't think that a 5 MPH impact will cause irreparable damage to the liftgate on most vehicles. The repair estimates derived from these tests are used to determine insurance premiums for these vehicles. By giving estimates that only include replacement of major body parts (that probably don't actually NEED to be replaced, but could be repaired much cheaper) they artificially inflate repair costs. Then when damage occurs in the real world, they force the cheaper repair. That means more money for the insurance companies. Bunch of crooked jerks. And people who can afford these expensive vehicles probably don't care very much that they are paying an unfair rate on insurance on these vehicles because of this flawed testing method. This is really low. I hate insurance companies. They cry about insurance fraud. I say, what about customer fraud?

[redlava]

I think it was two years ago when I heard this test with them backing into a pole at 5 mph. The Jeep Grand Cherokee had like $1,500 damage because the rear window shattered and it bent the liftgate enough to where it had to be replaced. A lot of money and damage for just a 5mph impact.

[Stang2Vibe]

I would also call into question the method by which they do the testing. Seems like they consistently cause way too much damage to the rear of these vehicles for the test to be doing what they want it to show. There's some kind of catch to this test. Like when NBC rigged up that Chevy pickup with explosives next to the gas tank to show that trucks explode when hit from the side.

[kaybeejay]

Get an ARB and that should solve the flimsy bumper problem.

[Stang2Vibe]

That would do it for me!