Crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) discovered that midsize pickups are not so excellent at maintaining these in the back seats secure in the occasion of a crash. More especially, none of the 5 US-spec pickups tested received a excellent all round security rating, though most of them have currently been replaced with newer versions in the market place.

The newer Nissan Frontier was the safest of the bunch, earning an acceptable rating. The Ford Ranger was rated marginal, even though the Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Gladiator, and Toyota Tacoma had been all rated poor. Note that the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma received significant updates given that 2022 MY, so the subsequent-gen models could potentially come with enhanced security credentials.

More: Which Mid-Size Truck Is Getting Your Money: The New Tacoma, Canyon, Ranger, Or Something Else?

 Midsize Pickups Put Rear Passengers At Risk In Crashes, Says IIHS
The rear passenger dummy in the Nissan Frontier for the duration of the moderate overlap front crash test (IIHS / YouTube)

According to IIHS President David Harkey, the updated moderate overlap front crash test which was introduced final year, “proved to be challenging for small pickups”. A typical concern amongst the tested models was that the rear passenger’s head came “dangerously close” to the front seatback, and there was a higher threat of neck or chest injuries. Harkey suggests that these problems could be solved with the improvement of the rear seatbelts, which are presently not as sophisticated as the ones in the front seats.

The rear passenger dummy utilized by IIHS is the size of a modest lady or a 12-year-old kid, as opposed to the driver dummy which is the size of an typical adult man. This mirrors the demographic that is typically sitting at the back, permitting the researchers to extract useful information. IIHS says that regardless of the truth that “the risk of a fatal injury is now higher for belted occupants in the rear than for those in front”, the back seats are nonetheless “the safest place for young children” who could be injured by a single of the quite a few inflating airbags if they sit at the front.

Below, you can see the detailed final results for every of the 5 models, followed by the crash test videos.

 Midsize Pickups Put Rear Passengers At Risk In Crashes, Says IIHS