Chattanooga: Subcompacts costly to repair after crashes

With the current volatile economic situation and the fluctuating price of gas, many motorists have opted to trade gas-guzzlers for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, but a recent report says subcompact cars can be more expensive to repair following low-speed crashes.

According to a report released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, low-speed crashes can be more expensive for subcompact car owners because the bumper systems are not made to effectively absorb energy during a crash.

“Small cars are supposed to be economical, but there is nothing economical about three or four thousand dollars in repairs after a low-speed collision,” said Joe Nolan, senior vice president for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

According to the report, 20 small cars were tested in collisions between 3 and 5 mph to determine which models best protected the cars from damage.

The Ford Focus performed best while the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Rabbit each fared in the bottom of those tested in front corner, full front, rear corner and full rear crash tests, the report said.

David Colmans, executive director of the Georgia Insurance Information Service, said bumper systems on small cars don’t always work effectively.

“They are making the cars as light as possible because that is what goes into improving fuel efficiency,” Mr. Colmans said. “They are all designed to withstand big impacts, but low-speed collisions can often be more expensive.”

According to the report, bumpers in low-speed collisions don’t always match-up correctly, or when they do, the support bars underneath the bumpers are often not strong enough to withstand even a slow-speed collision.

In the report, Mr. Nolan recommends automakers make bumpers wider and taller to help absorb the impact from a slow-moving vehicle.

“Bumpers on most cars are not worthy of them,” Mr. Nolan said. “Even the best bumper in this group still allowed more than $1,000 damage in one 3 mph crash test.”

But Stan Cyrus, owner of Vinson’s Village Body Shop, 6041 International Drive, said he has not seen a difference in repair costs between large and small vehicles following a low-speed crash.

“They are no more expensive to fix than a (Chevrolet) Silverado or an (Ford) F-150,” he said. “The subcompacts, in 3 to 5 mph, you are looking at a bumper repair that is about the same as a (Toyota) Camry. The hours are about the same. The bumper costs are about the same.”

Mr. Cyrus said exotic vehicles, such as a Chrysler Prowler or a Dodge Viper, can often be expensive to repair, but he has not seen a difference in common, subcompact cars.

Keith Clingan, general manager at Abra Auto Body and Glass at 6001 International Drive said many makers of subcompacts are engineering the passenger compartment to protect the occupants in a crash with little regard for the integrity of the vehicle.

“Anything that is lighter is going to have more damage,” Mr. Clingan said.