HIGHWAY SAFETY Cobalt rates top in front, back crash tests

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
The Chevrolet Cobalt wasn't the best but fared better than most small cars in crash tests performed by the insurance industry.
The Cobalt, produced at General Motors' Lordstown complex, received top ratings in two crash categories -- front and back.
Of the 16 small car models that were rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, only the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza received top marks in all three categories -- front, back and side crashes. The Cobalt and the Toyota Prius, a hybrid car, received the best marks in two categories. The institute used a four-tier scale (good, acceptable, marginal and poor.)
The Cobalt without optional side air bags was rated poor for side crashes. With the air bags, the rating jumped two notches to acceptable.
The Toyota Prius also received a big jump when tested with optional side air bags, going from poor to good. The Prius, however, was rated as marginal in rear crashes.
Carmakers had to pay for a second test if they wanted optional air bags tested, and some did not.
Every other small car received a poor rating in side crashes, expect the Mini Cooper and Toyota Corolla with optional air bags. Both of these models were rated as acceptable.
The Kia Sedona was the only minivan to score good rankings across the board. Results for other types of vehicles were not released.
Side air bags matter
Six minivans made by DaimlerChrysler AG and GM that were evaluated without side air bags were rated poor in side-impact tests. The same vehicles, when tested with the optional air bags, all showed improvements.
DaimlerChrysler's minivans -- the 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & amp; Country -- improved from the worst score to the second-highest when the air bags were included. The air bag option costs an additional $595.
GM's four minivan models built on the same platform -- the 2006 Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terraza, Pontiac Montana SV6 and Saturn Relay -- showed minor improvements when the side air bags were included, moving up one notch, to marginal.
In testing the Uplander with and without side air bags, the institute said the middle-row seats either dislodged or separated partially from the floor.
Bob Lange, GM's executive director for structure and safety integration, said that "in the 10 years this basic structure has been in use for these vans and their predecessors, we know of no cases in which a rear seat became detached in a side impact."
The side air bags are available for $350 on the minivan models, according to GM's Web site.
In addition to the GM and DaimlerChrysler models, the Mazda MPV and Ford Freestar without optional side air bags received the lowest scores in side protection.
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