New 2006 Rollover Rankings Show Improvement |
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
May 30, 2006
NHTSA 03-06
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Contact: Rae Tyson
Telephone: (202) 366-9550
Rollover ratings for 2006 model sport utility vehicles (SUVs) show a marked improvement over 2005, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today. The rating results also point to an unprecedented number of SUVs with electronic stability control (ESC) in 2006.
For the 2006 model year, 39 SUVs (42 percent of those rated) earned four stars in NHTSA’s rollover rating program. In 2005, 34 percent received four stars. For the 2006 model year, 57 SUVs (69 percent of all SUV models) offer ESC as standard equipment, up from 43 percent in 2005.
Earlier research by NHTSA documented the potential life-saving benefits of ESC, reducing single vehicle crashes by 63 percent for SUVs and 30 percent for passenger cars.
“We have worked hard to encourage automakers to install the kind of safety technology needed to make cars safer, prevent crashes and save lives,” said Acting NHTSA Administrator, Jacqueline Glassman.
Since 2004, NHTSA has encouraged manufacturers to voluntarily install ESC because of its life-saving potential. As a result, nearly all automakers now offer ESC on a total of 57 SUV models as standard equipment, and on six SUVs as an available option, up from 20 standard and 14 optional in 2003.
NHTSA uses a five-star rating system, which ranks the likelihood of a rollover in a single vehicle crash. The top score is five stars, representing a rollover risk of less than 10 percent.
For new 2006 model year vehicles, the highest rated SUV was the Chevrolet HHR, earning four stars and a 14 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. The 2006 Chrysler Pacifica and Ford Freestyle, both carryover vehicles previously tested in earlier model years, remain the agency’s highest rated SUVs overall with four stars and a 13 percent chance of rollover.
Of the 2006 model year tested vehicles, the lowest rated SUV was the Nissan Xterra 4x4, receiving three stars, representing a 25 percent chance of rollover.
For pickups, the highest rated vehicle was the Honda Ridgeline 4x4 and the Toyota Tacoma 4x2 – each earning four stars or a 14 percent chance of rollover. The lowest rated pickups were the Toyota Tundra 4x2, the Nissan Titan 4x4, and the Nissan Frontier 4x2, each receiving three stars, a 21 percent chance of rollover.
For vans, the highest rated vehicle was the Kia Sedona, earning four stars and a 13 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. The lowest rated van was the Ford E350, receiving two stars, a 30 percent chance of rollover.
For passenger cars, the highest rated vehicle was the Pontiac G6, earning five stars and a 9 percent chance of rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. The lowest rated passenger car was the Scion xB, receiving four stars and an 18 percent chance of rollover.
The complete list of 2006 vehicles rollover results, including carryover results from previous model years, is also available at www.safercar.gov.
MODEL YEAR 2006 COMPARATIVE ROLLOVER RANKINGS
For vehicles tested during MY 2006. Does not include carryover results.
Entire MY 2006 results, including all carryover results, available at www.safercar.gov
Make and Model | Rollover | Percent | Dynamic (Tip-No tip) | Tested with ESC? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickups | ||||
| Honda Ridgeline 4X4 | 4 | 14 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Toyota Tacoma 4x2 | 4 | 14 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Nissan Titan 4x2 | 4 | 19 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Toyota Tacoma 4x4 | 4 | 19 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Nissan Frontier 4x4 | 4 | 19 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Toyota Tundra 4x4 | 3 | 20 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Nissan Frontier 4x2 | 3 | 21 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Nissan Titan 4x4 | 3 | 21 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Toyota Tundra 4x2 | 3 | 21 | No tip | No, opt. |
| SUVs | ||||
| Chevrolet HHR | 4 | 14 | No tip | No, not avail. |
| Honda Pilot 4X4 | 4 | 15 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Honda Pilot 4X2 | 4 | 16 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Subaru B9 Tribeca | 4 | 16 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Toyota Rav4 4x4 | 4 | 17 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Hyundai Tucson 4X4 | 4 | 17 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Mercedes-Benz ML-Class | 4 | 17 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Toyota Rav4 4X2 | 4 | 17 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 | 4 | 18 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x2 | 4 | 19 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Trail Blazer EXT 4X4 | 4 | 19 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Ford Expedition 4X4 | 4 | 19 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Hyundai Tucson 4X2 | 4 | 19 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| KIA Sorento 4x4 | 3 | 20 | No tip | No, not avail. |
| Ford Expedition 4X2 | 3 | 21 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Kia Sorento 4X2 | 3 | 21 | No tip | No, not avail. |
| Nissan Armada 4X2 | 3 | 21 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Nissan Armada 4X4 | 3 | 21 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Tahoe 4X4 | 3 | 22 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 4X2 | 3 | 22 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Ford Explorer 4X4 | 3 | 22 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Jeep Commander | 3 | 22 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Ford Explorer 4X2 | 3 | 23 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Tahoe 4X2 | 3 | 24 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Hummer H3 | 3 | 24 | No tip | No, opt. |
| Nissan Xterra 4X2 | 3 | 24 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Nissan XTerra 4X4 | 3 | 25 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Passenger Cars | ||||
| Pontiac G6 | 5 | 9 | No tip* | No, opt. |
| Buick Lucerne | 5 | 10 | No tip* | No, opt. |
| BMW 3 Series | 4 | 10 | No tip* | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 4 | 10 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Honda Civic Coupe | 4 | 10 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Hyundai Sonata | 4 | 10 | No tip* | Yes, std. |
| Ford Fusion Sedan | 4 | 10 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Honda Civic Sedan | 4 | 10 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Hyundai Azera | 4 | 10 | No tip* | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Cobalt | 4 | 10 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Cadillac DTS | 4 | 11 | No tip* | No, opt. |
| Chevrolet Impala | 4 | 11 | No-tip* | No, not avail. |
| Kia Rio | 4 | 11 | No tip* | No, opt. |
| Saab 9-2X | 4 | 11 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Volkswagen Passat | 4 | 11 | No tip* | Yes, std. |
| Hyundai Accent | 4 | 12 | No tip* | No, not avail. |
| Scion xB | 4 | 18 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Vans | ||||
| KIA Sedona | 4 | 13 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Dodge Caravan - SWB | 4 | 16 | No tip | No, not avail. |
| Chevrolet Uplander | 3 | 20 | No tip | Yes, opt. |
| Chevrolet Express 3500 | 3 | 27 | No tip | Yes, std. |
| Chevrolet Express 1500 | 3 | 28 | Tip | No, opt. |
| Ford E350 XLT Super Duty | 2 | 30 | No tip | Yes, std. |
* = No tip result imputed from actual test of Scion xB as well as previously tested passenger cars
Yes, std = Vehicle was tested with ESC as a standard feature.
Yes, opt = Vehicle was tested with ESC as an optional feature.
No, opt. = Vehicle not tested with ESC, although available as an option.
No, not avail = ESC not available on the specified vehicle.
SUVs
Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade are corporate twins of one another and share the same test results.
Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer are corporate twins of one another and share the same test results.
Vans
Chrysler Town & Country SWB and Dodge Caravan are corporate twins of one another and share the same test results. SWB = Short wheel base