Chevrolet Uplander

results also apply to: 2006-07 Buick Terraza built after February 2006 | 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6 built after February 2006 | 2006-07 Saturn RELAY built after February 2006

Test details:

The Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac Montana SV6, Buick Terraza, and Saturn RELAY were introduced in the 2005 model year as replacements for the Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana, and Oldsmobile Silhouette. Side airbags were optional for front seat occupants. The Pontiac Montana SV6 was discontinued after the 2006 model year, and the Buick Terraza and Saturn RELAY were discontinued after the 2007 model year.

Beginning with 2006 models, side airbags became optional for both the front and second row seating positions. Also beginning with 2006 models manufactured after November 2005, the vehicle floor was reinforced to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door). Further changes were made for models manufactured after February 2006 to strengthen the standard second row bucket seats for side impact crashes.

Two tests of a 2006 Uplander were conducted, the first with optional side airbags for the driver and rear passenger, and the second without. Both vehicles were manufactured after all design changes for 2006 had been made. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests. In the test with optional side airbags, there was a problem with the seat occupied by the rear passenger dummy. All four of the attachment points for the optional captain's chair (with side airbag) released, allowing the seat to become completely dislodged. While this seat separation did not appear to exacerbate any injury measures recorded by the rear dummy, such separations should not occur. For this reason, the overall rating for the Uplander and similar models with side airbags was downgraded to Marginal (it would have been Acceptable otherwise).

Beginning with 2007 models manufactured after December 2006, General Motors added retention hooks to the left and right rear seat attachment points for the second row captain’s chairs. In two side impact tests conducted by GM with the new design, the second row seats were retained. On the basis of this performance, models built after December 2006 and equipped with optional second row side airbags are rated separately from earlier models. All Uplanders, Terrazas, and RELAYs built after this date and equipped with optional side airbags are rated Acceptable. The Uplander was discontined after the 2008 model year.

Injury measures:

Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Serious neck injuries would also be possible.

Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that serious neck injuries would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low.

Head protection:

Driver — The intruding barrier came close to the dummy's head in this test. Although the barrier did not hit the head, this near miss indicates that only slightly different crash circumstances could produce a direct hit to a person's head.

Rear passenger — The dummy's head was hit by the window sill of the rear passenger door. This impact did not produce high head injury measures, but the head protection is inadequate.