NHTSA Releases Model Year 2007 New Crash and Rollover Safety Ratings

NHTSA Releases Model Year 2007 New Crash and Rollover Safety Ratings

NHTSA Releases Model Year 2007 New Crash and Rollover Safety Ratings

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
February 13, 2007

NHTSA 03-07
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Contact: Rae Tyson
Telephone: (202) 366-9550

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced that 24 passenger vehicles for the 2007 model year have received five stars in front and side crash tests, the highest government rating under the agency’s New Car Assessment Program.

The newly tested models earning five stars include a seven of four-door passenger vehicles: Dodge Caliber; Ford Five Hundred; Kia Optima; Mercury Montego; Subaru Legacy; Saturn Aura; and the Toyota Camry. In addition, 17 four-door SUV’s earned a five star crash test rating for all seating positions: Acura MDX; Acura RDX; Audi Q7; Dodge Nitro; Ford Freestyle; GMC Acadia; Honda CR-V; Honda Element; Hyundai Santa Fe; Infiniti FX35/45; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Kia Sorento; Kia Sportage; Mazda CX-7; Saturn Outlook; Subaru Outback; and the Toyota Highlander.

Thus far, the agency has completed frontal, side, and rollover ratings for 63 of the 70 vehicles scheduled to be tested for the 2007 model year, representing approximately 79 percent of the 2007 model year fleet.

Of all newly tested vehicles, only the Mazda6 four-door, Pontiac Solstice convertible and its twin, the Saturn Sky Convertible, earned five stars for rollover resistance — but none of these models also attained five star crash test safety for all seating positions. Of the 24 earning five star crash test safety for front and side impact, none earned five stars for rollover resistance.

NHTSA uses a consumer-friendly ratings system — ranging from one to five stars, with five being the highest — that makes it easy to compare the predicted safety performance of tested vehicles. Beginning in September 2007, government star ratings will be listed on the window stickers of new vehicles.

The ratings for the 2007 models, as well as for previous years, can be found at www.safercar.gov. The information is also available by calling NHTSA's toll-free vehicle safety hotline, (888) 327-4236.

The 2007 vehicles selected for NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) frontal, side and rollover tests, which may include twins and some carry-over test results from previous years, follow:

Vehicle	Size/Class	Frontal Crash Rating		Side Crash Rating		Rollover Rating
Vehicle	Size/Class	Driver	Pass.	Front Seat	Rear Seat	2-Wheel Drive	4-Wheel Drive
Acura MDX 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5		4
Acura RDX 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5		4
Audi Q7 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5		4
Buick LaCrosse 4-DR. w/SAB	Heavy Passenger Car	5	5	1	3	4
Cadillac Escalade ESV 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	3	3
Cadillac Escalade EXT w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	3	3
Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	3	3
Chevrolet Aveo 4-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	4	4	3	4
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-DR. w/ SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	3	4	4
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4-DR.	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR	4	4
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR	4	4
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR
Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	3	3
Chrysler Sebring 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	3	4
Dodge Caliber 4-DR w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4
Dodge Nitro 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	3	3
Ford Edge 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	TBR	TBR	5	5	TBR	TBR
Ford Escape 4-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	4	4	5	5	3	3
Ford Five Hundred 4-DR. w/SAB	Heavy Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4	4
Ford Freestyle 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Ford Ranger Regular Cab	Pickup	5	4	5	No Seat	3	2
GMC Acadia 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	TBR	TBR
GMC Sierra 1500 4-DR.	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR	4	4
GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR	4	4
GMC Sierra 1500 Regular Cab	Pickup	5	5	NR	NR
GMC Yukon XL 4-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	3	3
Honda Civic 2-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	4	5	4
Honda CR-V w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Honda Element 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	3	3
Honda Fit 4-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	5	3	4
Hyundai Elantra 4-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	4	4	4
Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Infiniti FX35/45 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Jeep Compass 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	4	4	5	5	4	4
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	3	4
Jeep Patriot 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	TBR	TBR	5	5	4	4
Jeep Wrangler 2-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	4	3
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	NR	NR	4	3
Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4
Kia Rio 4-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	4	5	4	3	4
Kia Rondo 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	4	4
Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	3	TBR
Kia Spectra 4-DR w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	4	4	4
Kia Sportage 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	3	TBR
Lincoln MKX 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	TBR	TBR	5	5	TBR	TBR
Lexus ES350 w/SAB	Heavy Passenger Car	5	5	5	4	4
Mazda B-Series 2-DR.	Pickup	5	4	5	No Seat	3	2
Mazda CX-7 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Mazda6 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	4	4	5
Mercury Montego 4-DR w/SAB	Heavy Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4
Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR.	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	2	4	4
Nissan Altima 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	4	4
Nissan Sentra 4-DR.w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	5	5	5	4	4
Nissan Versa 4-DR w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	5	5	4
Nissan Versa Hatchback w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	5	5	4
Pontiac Solstice Convertible	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	4	No Seat	5
Saturn Aura 4-DR. w/SAB	Heavy Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4
Saturn Outlook 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	TBR	TBR
Saturn Sky Convertible	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	4	No Seat	5
Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	5		4
Subaru Outback 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5
Suzuki Forenza 4-DR. w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	4	4-!	4
Suzuki XL7 4-DR w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	4	5	4	5	4	4
Toyota Camry 4-DR. w/SAB	Medium Passenger Car	5	5	5	5	4
Toyota FJ Cruiser 4-DR.	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	4	5	5	3	3
Toyota Highlander 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	5	5	5	4	4
Toyota Prius 4-DR.w/SAB	Compact Passenger Car	4	4	5	4	4
Toyota RAV4 4-DR. w/SAB	Sport Utility Vehicle	5	4	5	5	4	4
Toyota Sienna w/SAB	Van	4	5	5	5	4
Toyota Yaris 4-DR.	Light Passenger Car	4	4	3	3	4

! — Safety Concern: During the side impact test, the head of the left rear passenger dummy struck the C-pillar, causing a high head acceleration. Head impact events resulting in high accelerations have a higher likelihood of serious head trauma. TBR — To Be Rated. NR — Not Rated due to being outside the scope of Side NCAP Testing.