MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: There's a little wrinkle in the sport utility vehicle's image as a rugged ride. The latest crash tests on nine mid-sized SUV models produced some disappointing and rather costly results. And that was at only five miles an hour. CNN's Julie Vallese has the lowdown.</s>JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are the go- anywhere, do-anything vehicle. Being able to take sport utility vehicles offroad is one thing. But get in a fender bender on the road, and, according to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety, it's going to cost you.</s>BRIAN O'NEILL, PRESIDENT, INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY: In our four- or five-mile-an hour tests, the average damage ranged from $404 per test, which was the best, to all the way up to over $1,600 per test, which was the worst.</s>VALLESE: The institute tested nine new SUVs for durability in five-mile-an-hour crashes. The Honda Pilot was rated acceptable. None earned the highest rating of good. Three vehicles were rated marginal, the Mitsubishi Endeavor. The Nissan Murano, and the Lexus RX330 sustained average damage, ranging from $789 to $988.</s>O'NEILL: Our rating of marginal for bumper performance is not very good. It means that you can face very expensive repair costs after minor bumps in urban traffic.</s>VALLESE: Five vehicles earned the lowest rating, poor, with damage ranging from more than $1,200 to more than $1,600. (on camera): The institute has tested 33 current mid-size SUV models in these low-speed crash tests, and none have earned a good rating. (voice-over): One reason, according to the institute, is, manufacturers are focusing on style, not value. In statements, manufacturers responding to the tests all said, below-speed tests are an assessment of cost, not safety, and the vehicles meet or exceed federal standards. Julie Vallese, CNN, Arlington, Virginia.
Crash Tests Produce Pricey Results For SUVs