December 2, 2010
Huge cost of mismatched bumpers:
When bumpers on cars and SUVs don't line up (and many of them don't),
low-speed collisions produce more damage and higher repair costs
The test:
An SUV going 10 mph strikes the back of its paired car, which is stopped. Then the configuration is reversed.
2011 Nissan Rogue into rear of 2010 Nissan Sentra:
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Action shot of Rogue striking rear of Sentra. 10/22/10 LOW RESOLUTION STILL FROM DIGITAL VIDEO |
The Rogue's bumper overrode the Sentra's. Radiator damage made the Rogue undriveable. 10/22/10 |
The Sentra had the highest rear damage total of all the cars. The cover, trunklid, rear body, quarters, taillamps, etc. were all damaged. 10/22/10 |
The test:
An SUV going 10 mph strikes the back of its paired car, which is stopped. Then the configuration is reversed.
2010 Nissan Sentra into rear of 2011 Nissan Rogue:
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Action shot as Sentra underrides bumper of Rogue. 10/22/10 LOW RESOLUTION STILL FROM DIGITAL VIDEO |
$5,114 damage to the front of the Sentra 10/22/10 |
The test:
An SUV going 10 mph strikes the back of its paired car, which is stopped. Then the configuration is reversed.
2011 Ford Focus into rear of 2011 Ford Escape:
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Action shot as Focus underrides bumper of Escape. 10/21/10 LOW RESOLUTION STILL FROM DIGITAL VIDEO |
$5,203 damage to the front of the Focus 10/21/10 |
The test:
An SUV going 10 mph strikes the back of its paired car, which is stopped. Then the configuration is reversed.
2010 Toyota Corolla into rear of 2010 Toyota RAV4:
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The bumpers of the Corolla and RAV4 overlapped less than an inch, so they bypassed each other in the crash. 9/24/10 |
Action shot of Corolla underriding the RAV4. 10/22/10 LOW RESOLUTION STILL FROM DIGITAL VIDEO |
$3,852 damage to the front of the Corolla 10/22/10 |
$6,015 damage to the rear of the RAV4 10/22/10 |
Bumpers don't line up:
The plastic covers on bumper systems obscure the mismatch problem by hiding the positions of bumper bars, which are the main energy-absorbing components. When the covers are removed, it's obvious the bars on many SUVs and cars don't match up.
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2011 Ford Focus (r) and 2011 Ford Escape (l) 9/22/10 |
2010 Nissan Sentra (r) and 2011 Nissan Rogue (l) 10/14/10 |
2010 Honda Civic (r) and 2010 Honda CR-V (l) 9/23/10 |
2010 Kia Forte (r) and 2011 Hyundai Tucson (l) 9/21/10 |
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2011 Ford Escape (r) and 2011 Ford Focus (l) 9/22/10 |
2011 Nissan Rogue (r) and 2010 Nissan Sentra (l) 10/14/10 |
2010 Honda CR-V (r) and 2010 Honda Civic (l) 9/23/10 |
2011 Hyundai Tucson (r) and 2010 Kia Forte (l) 9/21/10 |
