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By Jake Lingeman
Managing Editor
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The 2022 Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup truck returned a marginal rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety passenger-side small overlap front crash tests. The IIHS says that it received the rating because of extra risks to the front seat passengers.
This new rating applies only to vehicles built after October 2021. Before that Toyota modified the rear leaf springs, which punctured the fuel tank resulting in a fire in previous tests. Those vehicles received a poor rating with the automatic downgrade.
The IIHS notes that the changes the company made to those springs did correct the fuel-leak problem.
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The passenger-side small overlap front crash test features the vehicle traveling at 40 miles per hour toward a barrier with 25 percent of the vehicle's front end overlapping the barrier. According to the IIHS "the test mimics what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or with an obstacle like a tree or utility pole."
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Two the Tacoma's main competitors, the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline, scored an acceptable rating in the same test. The Chevrolet Colorado received a marginal rating like the Toyota, as did the Nissan Frontier.
Toyota, like Jeep with its latest crash test, noted the more extreme tests but still relied on its proven safety record.
"Toyota produces vehicles that meet or even exceed federal safety requirements. Separately, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has developed more severe or specialized tests which go beyond federal requirements and serve as another reference point for our engineers to consider as we continuously improve our vehicles," a Toyota spokesperson told Newsweek.
The Tacoma's frame and dashboard bent into the cabin during the test, contributing to heightened risk for the passenger. Measurements taken after the test showed a high risk of injury to the passenger right leg and a moderate risk to the left leg.
Both front and side airbags deployed in the crash, but the dummy's head struck the grab handle on the right side of the windshield.
"It is noteworthy that the extended cab 2022 Tacoma earned "good" ratings in five crashworthiness evaluations – the driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests. In addition, the Tacoma earned a "superior" rating in the standard front crash prevention system in the vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation. Finally, we also earned a "good" rating for the optional LED reflector headlights available on higher trims of Tacoma," said Toyota.
"Following the 2021 Tacoma test, we reviewed the available test information, conducted evaluations, and analyzed the data. We implemented a production change in October, which resulted in the improved IIHS rating change for the extended cab 2022 Tacoma regarding this test," the company said.
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