Small Pickup Truck Crash Tests. Some results are dismal.

For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested side-impact protection on small pickup trucks and the results are not favorable. The Toyota Tacoma was the only pickup to earn the highest rating of good in the side test for occupant protection. The Dodge Dakota, Mitsubishi Raider, Ford Ranger, Mazda B Series and Nissan Frontier all rated marginal; the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon rated poor in the side test, which simulates a side impact from an SUV or pickup.

The side-impact tests are important as it’s the second most common type of crash fatality. Side air bags are standard on more than 65 percent of new models and manufacturers are working to make them standard by the 2010 model year. A federal mandate on side air bags goes into effect for the 2015 model year. (Learn about how the IIHS crash tests cars.)

Small pickups have the highest driver death rates of all vehicles and most occur in single-vehicle crashes and rollovers. Electronic stability control (ESC) is a key proven safety feature that can help prevent crashes and save lives, but the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are the only pickups in this group that offer optional ESC. The 2009 version of the Tacoma, Colorado, and Canyon will come with standard ESC.