Pickup trucks are often associated with strength and might, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s latest round of testing proves that isn’t necessarily the case with smaller trucks. The IIHS put 5 compact trucks through a battery of safety tests, with all parties involved failing to achieve the Institute’s highest rating.
Of the 5 trucks tested, only Nissan ’s Frontier managed to earn the IIHS’ highest rating of ‘good’ for rollover protection. The Ford Ranger was ranked as ‘acceptable’ while the Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado all earned a rating of ‘marginal’ – the IIHS’ second lowest rating.
In order to achieve the IIHS’ highest rating in rollover protection, a vehicle must withstand 4 times its weight before the roof crushes five inches. The current national regulations only require a vehicle to withstand 1.5 times the vehicle’s weight. The worst performing truck – the Chevy Colorado – withstood 2.9 times its weight.
The Institute also conducted side impact tests on the trucks, with the Frontier, Ranger and Tacoma all earning ratings of good. The Colorado was ranked as poor, the Institute’s lowest rating. However, the Colorado managed to outperform the Dakota, as the Dakota’s side air bags failed to inflate altogether. Chrysler says it has discovered the defect that prevented the air bags from deploying and the IIHS has agreed to retest the Dakota in the coming weeks.
“As a group, small pickups aren’t performing as well as small cars or small SUVs in all of the Institute’s safety tests. None of the ones we tested is a top-notch performer across the board. In fact, no small pickup earns our Top Safety Pick award,” Institute senior vice president David Zuby said in a statement.
The Frontier would have earned the IIHS’ top rating had it not been for a rating of acceptable in rear crash protection. A vehicle must earn ratings of good in all test to earn the title of Top Safety Pick.
