SUVs, Luxury Cars Fail Bumper Tests

Luxury sedans from Lincoln, Infiniti, Acura and Cadillac fared poorly in the latest bumper crash tests by the insurance industry, sustaining more than $1,000 average damage when hit at 5 mph.

Two 2003 sport utility vehicles — the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Volvo XC90 — also were rated "poor" in bumper crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Tuesday. The 2003 Honda Element SUV was the only vehicle of the seven tested that rated "acceptable," sustaining average damage of $537 in the four tests performed.

The insurance institute, which conducts regular tests of new or newly redesigned vehicles, was measuring how vehicles perform in low-speed settings, such as in a parking lot or heavy traffic.

Testers crashed the front and rear of each vehicle straight-on into a flat barrier. They also hit the fronts and backs of each vehicle at an angle, simulating a crash into a pole.

The vehicles are rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor, based on the cost of repairs.

"The large cars we tested might be luxurious in terms of their style and amenities, but their bumpers are anything but luxurious. They don't bump," said Adrian Lund, the institute's chief operating officer.

The bumpers on the 2002 Acura RL and the 2003 Cadillac CTS failed to protect the body of the car, the institute said.

The front-angle crash broke the housing for a headlight on the 2003 Infiniti Q45, which had to be replaced at a cost of $858. That was nearly twice as much as the same part for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car, which was replaced at a cost of $435.

In a statement, Lincoln manufacturer Ford Motor Co. said its bumpers meet or exceed government safety standards. It also said the institute's tests "may not be representative of the type of damage that occurs in real world situations."

In the head-on crash of the Volvo XC90, the front hood raised and the latch jammed, resulting in $774 in repairs. The entire bumper system had to be replaced after the rear-angle test, at a cost of $2,238.

In a statement, Volvo said its damage totals were comparable to vehicles in its class. It also listed the XC90's safety features, including side-impact air bags and rollover stability control.

The Mitsubishi Outlander performed worst in the rear-angle test, sustaining $1,217 in damage. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said the results were inconsistent with the company's own tests and pledged to work with the institute to improve its bumpers.