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24 vehicles get top marks in crash tests

By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer Tue Feb 13, 4:15 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Two dozen 2007 passenger vehicles received top scores in government crash ratings Tuesday under a system that is expected to be revised to offer more meaningful information for car buyers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said 17 sport utility vehicles received five stars in front-end and side-impact testing: the Acura MDX and RDX; Audi Q7; Dodge Nitro; Ford Freestyle; GMC Acadia; Honda CR-V and Element; Hyundai Santa Fe; Infiniti FX35/45; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Kia Sorento and Sportage; Mazda CX-7; Saturn Outlook; Subaru Outback and Toyota Highlander.

Seven passenger cars also got top billing: Dodge Caliber; Ford Five Hundred; Kia Optima; Mercury Montego; Subaru Legacy; Saturn Aura and Toyota Camry.

The test results are frequently cited in advertising, but the government's watchdog group and others have said the "star system" needs to be improved because most vehicles receive four or five stars under NHTSA's system. The grade inflation makes it more difficult for consumers to compare the safety value of similar vehicles.

Most of the 2007 vehicles received four or five stars in frontal and side testing.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said last month that NHTSA planned to upgrade the New Car Assessment Program to enhance test ratings while measuring new crash avoidance technologies found more commonly in vehicles.

The proposal would alter the front-end test to rate vehicles for their ability to prevent upper leg injuries and improve the side test to examine how side air bags can protect the driver's head. Also being discussed is a summary vehicle rating combining the test scores.

Ninety-five percent of 2006 model year vehicles received four or five stars in frontal tests conducted by the government, while 87 percent received four or five stars in side crashes involving the driver.

Some of the same vehicles have received mediocre ratings from the Insurance

Institute for Highway Safety , which conducts a more aggressive side-impact test in which vehicles are struck with a barrier to reflect the force of a pickup or SUV.

NHTSA said it had completed frontal, side-impact and rollover ratings for 63 of 70 vehicles from the 2007 model year, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the new vehicles in the fleet.

In rollover ratings, three vehicles received the top score of five: the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky convertibles and the Mazda6 four-door with side air bags. None of the 24 passenger vehicles that received top scores in frontal and side-impact testing received the highest mark in the rollover test.

The Buick LaCrosse with side air bags received one star, the lowest rating, in side crash testing involving the front seat. General Motors Corp. spokesman Alan Adler said the automaker added more foam padding to the interior door trim in January and the vehicle was retested by NHTSA. New side-impact ratings for the LaCrosse are expected later this year.

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On the Net:

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program: http://www.safercar.gov

In the News

NHTSA 03-07
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 Contact: Rae Tyson
Telephone: (202) 366-9550

NHTSA Releases Model Year 2007 New Crash and Rollover Safety Ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced that 24 passenger vehicles for the 2007 model year have received five stars in front and side crash tests, the highest government rating under the agency's New Car Assessment Program.

The newly tested models earning five stars include a seven of four-door passenger vehicles: Dodge Caliber; Ford Five Hundred; Kia Optima; Mercury Montego; Subaru Legacy; Saturn Aura; and the Toyota Camry. In addition, 17 four-door SUV's earned a five star crash test rating for all seating positions: Acura MDX; Acura RDX; Audi Q7; Dodge Nitro; Ford Freestyle; GMC Acadia; Honda CR-V; Honda Element; Hyundai Santa Fe; Infiniti FX35/45; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Kia Sorento; Kia Sportage; Mazda CX-7; Saturn Outlook; Subaru Outback; and the Toyota Highlander.

Thus far, the agency has completed frontal, side, and rollover ratings for 63 of the 70 vehicles scheduled to be tested for the 2007 model year, representing approximately 79 percent of the 2007 model year fleet.

Of all newly tested vehicles, only the Mazda6 four-door, Pontiac Solstice convertible and its twin, the Saturn Sky Convertible, earned five stars for rollover resistance — but none of these models also attained five star crash test safety for all seating positions. Of the 24 earning five star crash test safety for front and side impact, none earned five stars for rollover resistance.

NHTSA uses a consumer-friendly ratings system — ranging from one to five stars, with five being the highest — that makes it easy to compare the predicted safety performance of tested vehicles. Beginning in September 2007, government star ratings will be listed on the window stickers of new vehicles.

The ratings for the 2007 models, as well as for previous years, can be found at  www.safercar.gov . The information is also available by calling NHTSA's toll-free vehicle safety hotline, (888) 327-4236.

The 2007 vehicles selected for NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) frontal, side and rollover tests, which may include twins and some carry-over test results from previous years, follow:

Vehicle

Size/Class

Frontal Crash
Rating

Side Crash
Rating

Rollover
Rating

Driver

Pass.

Front
Seat

Rear
Seat

2-Wheel Drive

4-Wheel Drive

Acura MDX 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5


4

Acura RDX 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5


4

Audi Q7 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5


4

Buick LaCrosse 4-DR. w/SAB

Heavy Passenger Car

5

5

1

3

4


Cadillac Escalade ESV 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

3

3

Cadillac Escalade EXT w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

3

3

Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

3

3

Chevrolet Aveo 4-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

4

4

3

4


Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-DR. w/ SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

3

4

4


Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4-DR.

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR

4

4

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR

4

4

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR



Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

3

3

Chrysler Sebring 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

3

4


Dodge Caliber 4-DR w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4


Dodge Nitro 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

3

3

Ford Edge 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

TBR

TBR

5

5

TBR

TBR

Ford Escape 4-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

4

4

5

5

3

3

Ford Five Hundred 4-DR. w/SAB

Heavy Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4

4

Ford Freestyle 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Ford Ranger Regular Cab

Pickup

5

4

5

No Seat

3

2

GMC Acadia   4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

TBR

TBR

GMC Sierra 1500 4-DR.

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR

4

4

GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR

4

4

GMC Sierra 1500 Regular Cab

Pickup

5

5

NR

NR



GMC Yukon XL  4-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

3

3

Honda Civic 2-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

4

5

4


Honda CR-V w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Honda Element 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

3

3

Honda Fit 4-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

5

3

4


Hyundai Elantra 4-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

4

4

4


Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Infiniti FX35/45 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Jeep Compass 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

4

4

5

5

4

4

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

3

4

Jeep Patriot 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

TBR

TBR

5

5

4

4

Jeep Wrangler 2-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

4

3

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

NR

NR

4

3

Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4


Kia Rio 4-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

4

5

4

3

4


Kia Rondo 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

4

4


Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

3

TBR

Kia Spectra 4-DR w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

4

4

4


Kia Sportage 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

3

TBR

Lincoln MKX 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

TBR

TBR

5

5

TBR

TBR

Lexus ES350 w/SAB

Heavy Passenger Car

5

5

5

4

4


Mazda B-Series 2-DR.

Pickup

5

4

5

No Seat

3

2

Mazda CX-7 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Mazda6 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

4

4

5


Mercury Montego 4-DR w/SAB

Heavy Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4


Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR.

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

2

4

4


Nissan Altima 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

4

4


Nissan Sentra 4-DR.w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

5

5

5

4

4


Nissan Versa 4-DR w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

5

5

4


Nissan Versa Hatchback w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

5

5

4


Pontiac Solstice Convertible

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

4

No Seat

5


Saturn Aura 4-DR. w/SAB

Heavy Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4


Saturn Outlook 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

TBR

TBR

Saturn Sky Convertible

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

4

No Seat

5


Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

5


4

Subaru Outback 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5



Suzuki Forenza 4-DR. w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

4

4-!

4


Suzuki XL7 4-DR w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

4

5

4

5

4

4

Toyota Camry 4-DR. w/SAB

Medium Passenger Car

5

5

5

5

4


Toyota FJ Cruiser 4-DR.

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

4

5

5

3

3

Toyota Highlander 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

5

5

5

4

4

Toyota Prius 4-DR.w/SAB

Compact Passenger Car

4

4

5

4

4


Toyota RAV4 4-DR. w/SAB

Sport Utility Vehicle

5

4

5

5

4

4

Toyota Sienna w/SAB

Van

4

5

5

5

4


Toyota Yaris 4-DR.

Light Passenger Car

4

4

3

3

4


! — Safety Concern: During the side impact test, the head of the left rear passenger dummy struck the C-pillar, causing a high head acceleration. Head impact events resulting in high accelerations have a higher likelihood of serious head trauma. TBR — To Be Rated. NR — Not Rated due to being outside the scope of Side NCAP Testing.