Toyota Minivan Gets Highest Marks in U.S. Crash Safety Tests

Toyota Motor Corp.’s 2004 Sienna minivan was the only one of 19 vehicles to get the top rating on all four of a U.S. safety agency’s crash tests.

The Sienna got the top grade of five stars in front-crash tests for both the driver and passenger, as well as for side collisions for the driver and passengers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The 19 vehicles were the first set of 2004-model vehicles to be tested.

Four sport utility vehicles -- Honda Motor Co.’s Acura MDX, DaimlerChrysler’s Jeep Liberty, Toyota’s Lexus RX 330 and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.’s Endeavor -- received five stars on three of the tests. Honda’s Accord sedan also got the top rating on three tests.

The Washington-based agency, part of the Transportation Department, simulates the effect of a crash at 38.5 mph by slamming a sled into a stationary vehicle holding test dummies. The top rating in a frontal test means an occupant has less than a 10% chance of serious injury that requires immediate hospitalization, agency spokesman Tim Hurd said.

Ford Motor Co.’s new Freestar minivan and the similar Mercury Monterey both received the top rating on the front impact tests. NHTSA still is reviewing results of side-crash tests for those minivans, Hurd said.

None of the vehicles tested got less than three stars, the middle grade. General Motors Corp.’s Pontiac Grand Prix sedan had the lowest marks, with three stars on all but one test. Seven vehicles were ranked for rollover stability, using a mathematical formula. General Motors’ Cadillac DeVille car and DaimlerChrysler’s Concorde and Intrepid sedans received five-star rollover ratings.