IIHS Names 20 Poor Performers in Rear Crash Safety: Is Your Car On The List?

Head restraints in several passenger vehicles provided marginal or poor protection against neck injuries and whiplash, the insurance industry reported Thursday in new crash test results.

Only 22 of 75 vehicles tested in a simulated rear crash at 20 miles per hour received the top score of good from the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Several 2007 vehicles got the lowest score of poor in the tests. The vehicles include: Acura TSX, some versions of the BMW 5 Series, Buick Lacrosse and Lucerne; Cadillac CTS, STS and DTS; Chevrolet Aveo, Pontiac Grand Prix, Honda Accord and Fit; Hyundai Accent, Infiniti M35, Jaguar X-Type, Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Galant, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Corolla, and the Suzuki Forenza and Reno.


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chewy - 4/5/2007 3:13:47 PM

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Nope, I don't drive those poor scoring vehicles.

Carboy - 4/5/2007 3:32:14 PM

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Same here.

WeAreMad - 4/5/2007 3:46:59 PM

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honda and toyota! there was little or no surprise for the others, but these two. wow!

atomicbri - 4/5/2007 5:04:40 PM

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Suprised Honda and Toyota are on the list?? I am not! Jap companies for years have skirted safety issues. Wasn't until mid-late 90's they were called out on it and started improving safety.

SupraNeverBack - 4/5/2007 4:07:56 PM

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Key word: "simulated", not tested!

chewy - 4/5/2007 4:21:29 PM

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Please, stop making up crap when you knowho does bad.

Here is the video that shows how they tested.

http://www.iihs.org/video.aspx?f=releases/pr040507.flv

Makes sense to me.

WeAreMad - 4/5/2007 4:38:02 PM

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if you go to iihs site it says "simulated force" not design of the headrest.

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr040507.html

chuck717 - 4/5/2007 5:09:00 PM

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simulated? I guess we could put three people in the back get them killed then you would believe the results???

atomicbri - 4/5/2007 5:09:23 PM

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Aren't all car crashes "simulated" when the IIHS or any other company tests cars? They SIMULATE a car crash by using barrier or other things. Come on people....TOYOTA AND HONDA ARE ON THERE...so of course this means all these reports have to be false! LOL!! I have never seen such faith and devotion before to these automakers! Amazing. I mean if my car was on there I would be emailing them saying they better come fix mine! Honda admitted on CNN that theirs sucked and promise the 2008 Accord will be much improved.

atomicbri - 4/5/2007 5:14:09 PM

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And I have been in a Corolla (my friend's, she has no taste in cars, a point A to point B girl!)and we were struck in the rear and let me tell you (as well as Nationwide can vouch)we had WHIPLASH. Their sucky little headrest did nothing. Guy hit us at 35mph roughly and I had to wear a stupid collar for 1.5 weeks.... So I am glad they are researching this and SIMULATING real world type tests to hopefully wake up some of the slacker manufacturers.

Terminal10 - 4/5/2007 4:38:07 PM

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Im good.

no1listensanyway - 4/5/2007 4:48:30 PM

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My CTS is on the list, I still like it anyway.

valentino - 4/5/2007 4:53:34 PM

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Nope, not on the list

chuck717 - 4/5/2007 5:27:52 PM

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Nice take atomicbri

atomicbri - 4/5/2007 7:37:14 PM

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The good the Accord scored was where the seats and headrests are located geometrically to the head of different sized people. It scored good there. However when tested against a rear end collision, it proved the seats and restraints failed to hold the body alignment straight, meaning the occupants head either rolled over the head restraint or the restraint flexed too much. So the Accord had a good placement and adjustment for their head restraint, it just failed under actual pressure.

chewy - 4/5/2007 7:54:50 PM

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Measuring whiplash. Take a look at the video. Takes a minute of time.

http://www.iihs.org/video.aspx?f=releases/pr040507.flv

truecarlover - 4/5/2007 9:38:53 PM

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Yes Audi did quite well. I think only Volvo did as well. See the press release:

http://www.media.audiusa.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9859

S4cabriofoxone - 4/5/2007 7:32:04 PM

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Nope, my car isn't there.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/8/2007 11:41:32 PM

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I can see that some people would rather my car being hit from behind and my face smashing into the windshield...? What evil people!

jt716 - 4/5/2007 11:07:58 PM

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Haha no fusion..

atomicbri - 4/6/2007 7:15:15 AM

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I have a BMW 3 series, looking at an IS...I know you hard core guys out there are gonna gasp... but 8 times to the shop in 1.5 years....kinda a bummer.

david999 - 4/6/2007 9:41:52 AM

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BMW 5 series? Yikes! Sorry about your lemon atomicbri. Go with the Lexus, you will not regret it.

r_driver04 - 4/6/2007 10:02:00 AM

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That's why I drive a Volvo buddy.

mstangpny07 - 4/6/2007 12:17:59 PM

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Nope, not on the list. I don't think the BMW 5 and the BMW X5 share the same seats/headrests.

truckmen - 4/13/2007 2:43:15 PM

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Good to know! I won't be buying any of those dangerous cars.