| The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) | | | | bumpers to protect only up to 2.5 mph. |
| said bumpers on all but three of 17 new midsize | | | | If there are worst performers, there should also |
| sedans it tested did not protect the cars from | | | | be the ideal ones. The IIHS said that the three |
| expensive damage in the kinds of low-speed | | | | midsize cars that did "comparatively well" in the |
| mishaps that happen in heavy traffic and in | | | | tests does include the nation's bestseller - the |
| parking lots and result in more than $6 billion a | | | | Toyota Camry. Other top performers include the |
| year in insurance claims. | | | | Mazda 6 and the Mitsubishi Galant. The cars |
| Among the worst performers were the Nissan | | | | sustained less than $1,500 damage in each of the |
| Maxima and Volkswagen Jetta. Both cars | | | | four bumps. |
| sustained over $9,000 each in estimated damage | | | | In a statement, Nissan Motors said, "We believe |
| from four simulated bumps - two each at three | | | | Nissan vehicles perform competitively in terms of |
| mph and six mph. The Nissan Maxima, VW Passat | | | | cost of repair. The cost to repair bumpers is just |
| and the Pontiac G6 each sustained the most | | | | one consideration." The automaker claims that |
| amount of damage. Over $4,500 worth of | | | | Nissan body kits perform efficiently and reliably. |
| damage were sustained in just one of the tests - | | | | General Motors Corp., on the other hand, said it |
| the six mph full-width frontal impact. The IIHS said | | | | was assessing the institute's test results. |
| hoods, fenders, headlights and air-conditioning | | | | Volkswagen said it would take the tests into |
| condensers needed repairs. Adrian Lund, the IIHS | | | | account in future designs. |
| president, said that in only two of the 68 bump | | | | The institute said the most costly damage occurs |
| tests of the 17 cars did the bumpers fully protect | | | | when the bumpers of colliding vehicles do not line |
| other components from significant damage: one | | | | up and ride under or over each other. In some |
| of a Saturn Aura and another of a Hyundai | | | | cases, the relatively minor bumps required |
| Sonata. "The whole purpose of bumpers is to | | | | professional chassis straightening. Nonetheless, the |
| keep damage away from headlights, hoods and | | | | institute added that the relatively high costs of |
| other parts that are expensive to repair," Lund | | | | replacement parts for some models - not just the |
| said. "In the rest, what we found is that bumpers | | | | amount of damage from the tests - accounted |
| aren't up to the job." Federal regulations require | | | | for some of the variation in repair costs. |