NHTSA Unveils New 2005 Crash Test Results

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released new crash test results for selected model year 2005 vehicles. The agency also released new rollover ratings for several 2005 SUVs, vans and passenger cars.

All results, including previously tested model year 2005 vehicles, are available at the agency’s Web site: www.safercar.gov.

The 2005 Acura RL was the only vehicle in the latest group to earn the top rating of five stars for rollover and for all seating positions in frontal and side impact crash tests. The 2005 Acura RL is only the third vehicle in the history of the program to receive such honors.

The Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego were additional vehicles in the latest group to earn the top rating of five stars for all seating positions in frontal and side impact crash tests. NHTSA’s consumer information program uses a one- to five-star rating system, with five being the highest. Star ratings reflect a vehicle’s ability to protect the driver and passenger in a crash. NHTSA uses a five-star scale, as well as a percent chance of rollover, to rate a vehicle on its likelihood of rollover in a single-vehicle crash.

In this latest round of rollover testing, the highest rated SUVs were the Lincoln Navigator 4×4 and Toyota Highlander 4×4, each receiving four stars with a 17.4 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash.

The highest rated vans were the Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey, each receiving four stars with a 14.7 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. The highest rated passenger car was the Ford Mustang, receiving five stars with an 8.7 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash.

New 2005 ratings for frontal impact are available for the Acura RL four-door, Ford Five Hundred four-door, Mercury Montego four-door, Pontiac G6 four-door, Toyota Scion tC two-door, Toyota Tundra two-door pickup, Toyota four-door pickup, Volvo V70 four-door and Volvo XC70 four-door.

New 2005 ratings for side impact are available for the Acura RL four-door, Ford Five Hundred four-door, Ford Freestyle sport utility vehicle, Mercury Montego four-door, Nissan Altima four-door, Pontiac G6 four-door, Pontiac Vibe four-door, Toyota Scion tC four-door and Toyota Matrix four-door.

In the light truck category, new model year 2005 rollover ratings are available for the Chevrolet Equinox 4×2 sport utility vehicle, Chevrolet Equinox 4×4 sport utility vehicle, Chevrolet Tahoe 4×4 sport utility vehicle, Chrysler Town & Country long-wheelbase van, Dodge Cargo long-wheelbase van, Dodge Grand Caravan van, Ford Explorer 4×2 sport utility vehicle, GMC Yukon 4×4 sport utility vehicle, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4×2 sport utility vehicle, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4×4 sport utility vehicle, Kia Sedona van, Lincoln Navigator 4×4 sport utility vehicle, Mercury Monterey van, Mercury Mountaineer 4×2 sport utility vehicle, Toyota Highlander 4×2 sport utility vehicle and Toyota Highlander 4×4 sport utility vehicle.

New rollover ratings for 2005 passenger cars include the Acura RL, Chrysler Crossfire Coupe, Chrysler 300, Ford Five Hundred, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Accent Hatchback, Kia Spectra, Mazda 6 wagon, Mitsubishi Galant, Mercury Montego, Pontiac G6 and Volvo S40.