NHTSA Finds Fault With 2007 Buick LaCrosse in Latest Round of Testing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration handed out superior grades to a wide slate of 2007 vehicles, but not all models fared well. The Buick LaCrosse got a five-star rating for front crash protection but earned only one star for side crash performance, despite the fact that it is equipped with side airbags.

General Motors responded rapidly, saying it began adding more foam padding to the interior door trim in January, and has asked the federal government to retest the car.

In rollover testing, three vehicles, the Mazda 6, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, earned five stars. But none of the three rated the top score for both front and side crash protection.

The agency said the newly tested models earning five stars include the Dodge Caliber, Ford Five Hundred, Kia Optima, Mercury Montego, Subaru Legacy, Saturn Aura and Toyota Camry. In addition, 17 SUVs earned a five-star crash test rating: the Acura MDX and RDX, Audi Q7, Dodge Nitro, Ford Freestyle, GMC Acadia, Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Hyundai Santa Fe, Infiniti FX35/45, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Sorento, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-7, Saturn Outlook, Subaru Outback and Toyota Highlander.

NHTSA had hoped to avoid another year of results where most vehicles scored above average. In 2006, nine out of 10 vehicles tested did so. The agency said it has completed front, side, and rollover ratings for 63 of the 70 vehicles scheduled to be tested for the 2007 model year.

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