Five Vehicles Score Badly in Bumper Test

DETROIT September 7, 2003; Reuters reported that five of six new vehicles scored "poor" or "marginal" ratings in low-speed crash tests measuring the damage from bumping into barriers at five miles per hour, according to a study released on Sunday.

The Infiniti G35 luxury car from Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. sustained the most damage, an average of $1,481 in each of four crash tests on the front and rear bumpers to simulate common mishaps in commuter traffic and parking lots.

The tests were conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an auto safety research group funded by the insurance industry.

"The G35's bumpers are a disaster," Adrian Lund, chief operating officer for the Institute, said in a release. In one test backing the luxury car into a pole, "there was extensive damage to body panels including a crushed trunk lid and floor pan," Lund said.

In addition to the G35, the Mercedes E Class luxury sedan and the Nissan Quest minivan also scored "poor" ratings. The Toyota Sienna minivan and the Saab 9-3 car both received "marginal" ratings. Only the Mazda6 sedan performed reasonably well, earning an "acceptable" rating with an average of $342 in each of the four crashes.

The new Saab 9-3, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna all sustained more damage than the previous models they replaced. The Quest recorded the biggest jump in damage, to an average of $1,137 per crash test, up from $366 previously, which earned a "good" rating.

The bumpers on the Mazda6 was designed to absorb energy and keep it away from the body, the Institute said.

The institute conducts the tests and publicizes the results to pressure automakers into making stronger bumpers.