Tests Dent Tough Image of SUVs

Six of seven mid-size sport-utility vehicles suffered significant damage to their bumpers in low-speed crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Tuesday.

The 5-miles-per-hour tests conducted by the institute are designed to imitate the impact that often occurs in commuter traffic and parking lots.

Six of the 2001 and 2002 SUVs tested in four crashes earned marginal or poor marks. The Acura MDX got the highest mark of any mid-size SUV the institute has tested.

The institute ranks vehicles by damage incurred. The Acura MDX, made by Honda Motor Co., had a $448 average for the tests, whereas damage to the other SUVs ranged from $747 to $1,451.

The federal government requires cars to pass a 2.5-mph bumper test without damage, but there is no such requirement for SUVs.

Suzuki Motor Corp.’s 2001 Grand Vitara XL-7 was the worst performer in the institute’s tests, sustaining more than $2,000 damage in one test and a total of $5,802 in the four.