Ford Explorer rated poorly in federal rollover tests

WASHINGTON -- The Ford Explorer Sport Trac got the worst rating among 14 vehicles subjected to a new government safety test designed to predict the likelihood of a rollover during a sharp turn. The federal auto safety agency, which announced the ratings Wednesday, uses a rating system in which five stars is the best score and means the likelihood of rollover is less than 10 percent. The Sport Trac 4x2, a sport utility vehicle, earned two stars, meaning the rollover risk in a one-vehicle crash is 30 percent to 40 percent. A Ford spokeswoman, Kristen Kinley, said the test uses an extreme maneuver that does not necessarily reflect real-world driving.

She said company tests indicate the Sport Trac is very safe, but added that Ford is considering adopting the test conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The government used to predict the rollover risk by using a mathematical formula based on a vehicle's height and the width between its rear wheels. A driving test added last fall measures a vehicle's performance when it swerves sharply to the left and then to the right. The agency uses both tests to determine a vehicle's rating.

Earning four stars were two SUVs, the Volvo XC90 and the Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4; two station wagons, the Ford Focus and the Subaru Outback; the Chevrolet Silverado 4X4 and 4X2 pickups; and the compact Toyota Echo. Four stars means the likelihood of rolling over in a one-vehicle crash is 10 percent to 20 percent.

Vehicles earning three stars were the Chevrolet Trailblazer 4x2, the Jeep Liberty and Toyota 4Runner sport utility vehicles and the Toyota Tacoma 4x4 pickup. The rating means the likelihood of rollover is 20 percent to 30 percent.

The government tested 14 vehicles but posted 22 ratings because some vehicles have "twin" models. For example, the GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada and Buick Rainier are essentially the same as the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

GM spokesman Jim Schell said automakers are pleased that the agency has gone beyond the mathematical test.

"What it didn't take into consideration were some of the characteristics of the vehicle that help in its stability," he said.

Several vehicles achieved better ratings this year because of the new test, automakers said. The four-wheel-drive versions of the Trailblazer, Silverado, Jeep Liberty and Tacoma each earned an extra star this year compared with last year.

"The test is a more accurate way to evaluate a vehicle's performance," said Chris Tinto, Toyota's director of safety regulations.

Joan Claybrook, a former NHTSA administrator who now heads the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said the new test mimics a real emergency maneuver. But she also urged the government to set a minimum standard for rollover propensity.

"Vehicles that get one or two stars shouldn't be sold," she said.

Agency spokesman Rae Tyson said crash test ratings have led to safety improvements and NHTSA believes rollover ratings will have the same effect.

"Market forces can have a strong influence on manufacturers. We'll put the ratings out there and let consumers make decisions based on that," he said.

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On the Net:

NHTSA safety ratings: http://www.safercar.gov