VIDEO: Three Minivans Struggle With IIHS Crash Test

In a recent round of small overlap front crash tests, only one minivan – the Toyota Sienna – drew an “acceptable” overall score while three others drew “poor” overall scores, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said.

The Nissan Quest, Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan all attracted overall scores of “poor,” IIHS said, showing “some of the worst possible outcomes for this type of crash.”

Toyota modified the 2015 Sienna’s front structure to improve small overlap protection. The Sienna joins the Honda Odyssey in the ranks of Top Safety Pick+ award winners. The Odyssey last year scored a “good” rating in the small overlap crash test.

The small overlap crash test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole. Such crashes can be particularly difficult for minivans to handle because these vehicles are typically built on car platforms even though they’re wider and heavier than cars, IIHS said.