Toyota RAV4 Flunks Front Crash Test

The 2013 RAV4 small SUV from Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) managed to achieve just a 'poor' rating on a new front crash test. The small overlap front crash test simulates a left-front collision with a stationary object like a tree or telephone pole, and was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The IIHS test goes beyond federal requirements and a Toyota spokesman said that the company is looking at "a range of solutions to achieve greater crash test performance in this area."

The RAV4 still earned a 'Top Pick' rating from the IIHS and four out of five stars from the U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the agency's safety-rating program.

The test results will also likely lead to design changes for the 2015 Lexus NX, which shares the same platform as the RAV4, according to edmunds.com.

Of 14 small SUVs tested by IIHS, only the Subaru Forester and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport earned 'good' or 'acceptable' ratings on the small overlap front crash test.

Filed under: Autos Tagged: TM