SAN ANTONIO – New crash tests results on three minivan models popular with families show significant difference in passenger protection, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS.
In the tests, the Toyota Sienna earned a "marginal" rating in the passenger side small overlap front test, while the Honda Odyssey earned a "good” rating and the Chrysler Pacifica got an “acceptable” rating.
The IIHS crashed the vehicles moving at 40 mph to simulate what happens when the passenger’s front corner slams into another car or object such as a pole or tree.
The results varied noticeably, with the Toyota receiving the most intrusion on the passenger’s space.
“The safety cage collapsed,” said David Zuby, chief research officer for IIHS. “We also measured possible injurious force on the dummy’s right thigh and right leg.”
The structure allowed as much as 20 inches of intrusion in the leg area and more than 16 inches of intrusion at the dashboard, according to IIHS.
“The Toyota Sienna structure rated 'poor' because of extensive intrusion into the passenger survival space,” Zuby said.
While the Sienna rated the worst of the three in this test, the vehicle has received good ratings in other previous crash tests.
The Odyssey’s passenger compartment held up the best, according to the tests, and both the Odyssey and Pacifica performed well enough to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick Award.
A Toyota spokesperson responded saying the IIHS passenger side small overlap test is a “severe, specialized test that goes beyond federal vehicle safety requirements.”
He said Toyota has taken steps to improve the performance of its vehicles in the test.
“Looking ahead, we’ve incorporated enhancements on both the driver’s and passenger’s side for vehicles built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture platforms," the spokesman said.
The IIHS also evaluated the federally-mandated LATCH system to evaluate how easy it is to install child safety seats properly.
Only the Odyssey earned a “good” score in that category. The Sienna, Chrysler Grand Caravan and Kia Sedona earned “acceptable” scores, and the Pacifica was rated “marginal” for its restraint hardware.