2 Minivans Are Only Redesigned Vehicles Rated ‘Good’ in Tests

DETROIT —  Most of 10 redesigned passenger vehicles tested for frontal crash protection improved their results over previous models, but only two minivans earned overall “good” ratings, a national insurance group said Wednesday.

Honda Motor Co.’s 1999 Odyssey and Ford Motor Co.’s 1999 Windstar minivans earned the good ratings in the tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which represents large national insurance firms.

In the tests, the vehicles are driven front-first at 40 mph into a flexible barrier to measure injuries to the dummy and how well the vehicle’s occupant compartment holds up in the crash.

The U.S. government rates vehicles in 35-mph crash tests.

Even Ford’s strong performance with its Windstar was not without a caveat, and its rating slipped from a “best pick” after its last test.

The No. 2 U.S. auto maker’s other minivan, the Mercury Villager, slipped to “poor” from “marginal” after it added a fourth door. The institute used Nissan Motor Co.’s Quest minivan, a clone of the Villager made at the same Ohio plant, for the test.

Ford officials dismissed Windstar’s slip and said the vehicle consistently scores at the top of its class in federal tests.