Family minivans just failed the test that matters most to families
Four popular US minivans failed the new IIHS test. Rear passengers are the weak spot — and Honda Odyssey scored the worst.
Experts compared the safety of four popular US-market minivans — Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna. And the conclusion turned out to be an unpleasant surprise for vehicles people buy specifically with their family in mind. Toyota Sienna was named the best in overall scores, but experts had serious questions for the entire segment — and they all concern the protection of second-row passengers.
The main problem comes from the updated IIHS moderate overlap front crash test. It now evaluates not only the driver, but also the second-row passenger — with a dummy representing a 12-year-old child or a small adult. And this is no longer a formality, but a real risk that simply went unnoticed before.
According to IIHS, the Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica and Kia Carnival received a “marginal” rating for this test, while the Honda Odyssey got a “poor”. Not a single model managed even an “acceptable”, let alone a “good”. The result: under current requirements, family minivans don’t qualify for the top IIHS awards.
The Honda Odyssey looks worst of all in the comparison. The test recorded high loads on the rear passenger’s head and neck, and the belt allowed the dummy to come too close to the back of the front seat — meaning, in effect, a head impact. The Chrysler Pacifica and Kia Carnival did a little better, but still not well: elevated belt forces, and on the Pacifica the side curtain airbag failed to deploy in one of the tests. A detail that could cost someone their life.
The Toyota Sienna didn’t escape criticism either: in the updated test, the rear dummy “submarined” under the lap portion of the belt. But by the sum of factors, the Sienna still comes out ahead. It has a “good” rating in the small overlap test, “good” in the side test, plus a high score for headlight performance.
The conclusion is obvious. When choosing a family car, look not only at the number of airbags and driver assists, but at actual crash-test results — for every row of seats. Whoever you’re carrying in the back deserves no less protection than the person behind the wheel.