Five out of six small pickups tested earn good or acceptable ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s updated side crash test.
The Chevrolet Colorado crew cab, GMC Canyon crew cab and Honda Ridgeline crew cab earn good ratings, while the Nissan Frontier crew cab and Ford Ranger crew cab are rated acceptable. The Toyota Tacoma crew cab is rated marginal.
“Overall, this was a solid performance from these vehicles,” said IIHS Senior Research Engineer Becky Mueller, whose work formed the foundation for the new evaluation. “Their high ride height means that the barrier we use to represent a striking vehicle hits the strong door sill structures directly. This likely prevented excessive intrusion into the occupant compartment, except in the case of the Tacoma.”