Side-Impact Bags Crucial in Minivan Crash Ratings
The insurance industry’s first tests of how well minivans hold up in side-impact crashes gave poor marks Sunday to the 2006 Ford Freestar and Mazda MPV models, which lack side air bags as standard equipment.
Side air bags are optional on the Freestar and the MPV, costing several hundred dollars. Rival automakers include the air bags as standard equipment in their minivans, a class of vehicle popular with families.
The Freestar and MPV models without side air bags earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s lowest ranking, or poor, in the crash results.
The highest marks went to the 2006 models of the Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest and Honda Odyssey. The institute said the vehicles excelled at protecting people in crashes that typically occur at intersections when a vehicle runs a red light or stop sign.
“Manufacturers should follow the lead of Honda, Nissan and Toyota in making head-protecting side air bags standard in their minivans. Important safety equipment like this shouldn’t be optional,” said Adrian Lund, the institute’s chief operating officer.
A Freestar with optional head curtain air bags for all three rows of seats and front seat-mounted torso air bags received the institute’s second-highest rating, acceptable.
Mazda chose not to request a test of the MPV with optional combination side air bags, which are designed to protect the torso and heads of front-seat motorists.
Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis said the Freestar was designed to provide “a high level of protection in a wide range of crashes.” He said that the acceptable rating highlighted the added safety benefits of the available side-impact air bags. On the Freestar, the side air bags are included in a $695 safety package that provides head protection for all three rows, Ford said.
Mazda said a package of seat-mounted side air bags and traction control cost an additional $400 on the MPV LX. The package is standard on the MPV’s top-end ES model.
Mazda expressed disappointment with the test results but said it “stands behind the safety and quality of the MPV minivan,” said Robert Davis, a senior vice president for research, development and quality.
