Accident Reconstruction Network > News > April 2005 > 04/10/05

Accident Reconstruction News Article

Minivans, trucks score well in U.S. crash tests

DETROIT, April 10 (Reuters) - Two minivans and three small pickup trucks earned top grades in the latest frontal crash tests conducted by a U.S. insurance group.

The Honda Odyssey, Chevrolet Uplander minivans, and Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier and Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks all earned "good" ratings in crash tests into a deformable barrier at 40 miles per hour, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said on Sunday.

Honda Motor Co.'s Odyssey and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Tacoma also earned "best pick" designations from the IIHS, which is funded by the insurance industry.

DaimlerChrysler AG's Dodge Dakota and Ford Motor Co.'s Ranger were rated "acceptable."

"Every small pickup that recently has been redesigned performed better than its predecessor model," Adrian Lund, chief operating officer of IIHS said in a statement.

The new General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet Uplander is also a dramatic improvement compared with earlier minivans from the automaker, according to the IIHS.

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