( www.canadiandriver.com ) - The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, which was completely redesigned for the model year, has received the highest rating of "Good" in frontal and side crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but only "Marginal" for rear impact protection.
The IIHS tested the Grand Caravan SE, which comes with standard head curtain airbags for all three rows of seats.
In frontal tests, the IIHS reported that dummy movement was well-controlled, and that while the dummy's head hit the roof rail and B-pillar during rebound, measurements indicated a low risk of any significant injuries. In the side impact test, the dummy's head was protected from being hit by any hard structures by the side curtain airbag, and that measurements indicated a low risk of any significant injuries.
The rear impact test, in which the Grand Caravan tested "Marginal", determines the risk of neck injury at low to moderate speeds, and is a test of seat and head restraints. Of all minivans tested by the IIHS, only the 2008 Kia Sedona, Hyundai Entourage and Honda Odyssey scored the highest "Good" rating in rear crash tests. The Grand Caravan was the only minivan to score "Marginal"; the Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest, and Chevrolet Uplander all rated "Poor".