Poor Camry crash test result surprises Toyota

DETROIT, June 25 Reuters reported that the newest version of the Toyota Camry, the nation's best-selling car, received a low score in a closely watched U.S. government crash test.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2002 Camry sedan two stars out of five for protecting the driver in a side-impact crash. In the test, vehicles are rammed on the driver's side with a 3,015-pound (1,368 kg) barrier moving at 38 miles per hour (61 kph).

By NHTSA standards, the rating means a driver has a 21 percent to 25 percent chance of serious injury if the Camry is hit from the side in a similar accident.

Of 86 2002 passenger car models the agency has run the same test on, 10 others earned two stars or fewer. Among the Camry's direct competitors, the Honda Accord sedan earned four stars, while the Nissan Altima earned three stars.

Automakers keep close tabs on the government tests, which are widely publicized by consumer car-buying magazines and Internet sites. Toyota Motor Corp. (Tokyo:7203.T - News) said the results were surprising and inconsistent with its own crash-test results.

"We're looking into how there could have been such a disparity," said Toyota spokesman John Hanson.

Camry sales, including the older two-door model, are up 16 percent this year through May, and the Camry has outsold the Accord by about 40,000 vehicles.

The version of the Camry sedan tested by the agency did not have an optional side air bag. The Camry sedan was redesigned for the 2002 model year; older versions received three stars in driver's side crash tests and four stars with a side air bag.

NHTSA has not released results from the 2002 Camry sedan's front crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which uses a different front crash test than NHTSA, rated the Camry a "best pick" for safety among cars in its class.