Bumpers

Simple modifications to the bumpers of SUVs could save consumers thousands of dollars on repairs after low-speed collisions between SUVs and cars.

SUV and car bumpers don’t line up with each other, and that leads to expensive damage in low-speed crashes.

Tests show aftermarket parts can work well if they are correctly reverse-engineered.

A big improvement in the Subaru Legacy's bumper performance after a redesign shows that automakers can do a lot to limit damage in low-speed crashes that happen every day.

Federal regulators have agreed to seek comments on an Institute petition to extend federal bumper rules to pickups, SUVs and vans.

Five out of seven minicars and microcars earn poor ratings in the Institute's bumper tests, racking up thousands of dollars in damage in low-speed collisions.

Canada ditches its tougher bumper standard in favor of one as weak as the U.S. rule.

Federal bumper rules don't apply to SUVs or pickups. If they did, minor crashes would result in much less damage than they do now.

Six 2008 model minivans failed to prevent extensive damage in low-speed bumper tests. The Nissan Quest was the worst with more than $8,000 in damage.

Luxury cars sustain major damage in crashes at the speed of a brisk walk, new Institute tests show.

The Institute has revamped its bumper test program, and the new tests reveal numerous problems that result in excessive damage in minor impacts.

In a series of low-speed tests, the Institute demonstrates the high repair costs that result from fender-benders when car and SUV bumpers don't line up.

Photos of real-world crashes show the consequences of bumper mismatch.

Bumpers on the European version of the Volkswagen New Beetle don't perform as well as the bumpers on the U.S. version.

Some automakers make bumpers that prevent excessive damage, but those are the exceptions, the latest round of testing on small cars confirms.

The minivan's worst performance was in the front-into-flat-barrier test, in which the airbags unnecessarily deployed.

In contrast to the improvements in frontal crashworthiness, most bumpers haven't gotten better. There are a few exceptions, however.

Improvements to car bumpers haven't carried over to many SUVs, which allow excessive damage in low-speed crash tests.

Among the 17 new cars whose bumpers were recently evaluated, most needed expensive repairs after low-speed crashes.