How the Institute necessary to protect an average-size rates head restraints male from whiplash injury. Accept- able and good restraints are high Head restraint good, acceptable, enough to protect taller occupants marginal, or poor as well as people of average height Restraint geometry is and shorter. Good and acceptable basis for most ratings; head restraints also have smaller good ratings awarded to backsets, which benefit occupants of active head restraint designs all heights. 2001 PASSENGER CARS Head restraint evaluations are The rating for a fixed head re- Acura CL/TL/RL based on two criteria. The first is the straint is straightforward. The zone Acura Integra distance down from the top of the into which its height and backset Audi A4/S4 head of an average-size male to the place it also defines its rating. Audi A6 top of the restraint. A head restraint Rating adjustable head restraints Audi A8 should be at least as high as the that don’t lock in their adjusted posi- Audi Allroad Quattro 1 Audi TT Roadster Quattro head’s center of gravity, or about 3 ⁄2 tions is equally straightforward — inches below the top of the head. the rating is defined by the zone for BMW 3 series BMW 5 series The second criterion is backset, height and backset in the down and/or rear position. For adjustable BMW 7 series the distance from the back of an BMW M3 restraints that lock in position when average-size male’s head to the front BMW Z3 Roadster of the restraint. Backsets of more adjusted, the rating is based on the Buick Century than about 4 inches have been asso- midpoint of the best (highest and Buick LeSabre ciated with increased symptoms of closest) and worst (lowest and far- Buick Park Avenue neck injury in crashes. thest) positions in relation to an Buick Regal Each head restraint is classified average-size male. Cadillac Catera into one of four geometric zones — This measurement and rating sys- Cadillac DeVille good, acceptable, marginal, or poor tem is an international protocol Cadillac Eldorado — according to its height and back- available from the Research Council Cadillac Seville set (see diagram). Marginal head for Automobile Repairs (on the web Chevrolet Astro restraints have the minimum height at www.rcar.org/papers/rcar.pdf). Chevrolet Camaro Chevrolet Cavalier Chevrolet Corvette Chevrolet Impala Chevrolet Malibu distance from top of head (cm) -2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 0 Chevrolet Prizm 2 Chevrolet Venture 4 Chrysler 300M GOOD 6 Chrysler Concorde ACCEPTABLE Chrysler LHS 8 MARGINAL Chrysler Prowler 10 Chrysler PT Cruiser POOR 12 Chrysler Sebring 14 Chrysler Town & Country Chrysler Voyager 16 Daewoo Lanos 18 Daewoo Leganza 20 Daewoo Nubira 2 4 6 8 10 12 1416 18 Dodge Grand Caravan backset (cm) Dodge Intrepid Dodge Neon Dodge Stratus Ford Crown Victoria Nissan Altima 2001 UTILITY VEHICLES 2001 PICKUP TRUCKS Ford Escort ZX2 Nissan Maxima Ford Focus Nissan Quest Acura MDX Chevrolet S10/T10 Ford Mustang Nissan Sentra BMW X5 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Ford Taurus Oldsmobile Alero Chevrolet Blazer Dodge Dakota Ford Windstar Oldsmobile Aurora Chevrolet Suburban Dodge Ram 1500 GMC Safari Oldsmobile Intrigue Chevrolet Tahoe Dodge Ram 2500 Honda Accord Oldsmobile Silhouette Chevrolet Tracker Ford F-150 Honda Civic Pontiac Bonneville Dodge Durango Ford F-250 Honda Insight Pontiac Firebird Ford Escape Ford Ranger Honda Odyssey Pontiac Grand Am Ford Excursion GMC Sierra 1500 Honda Prelude Pontiac Grand Prix Ford Expedition GMC Sonoma Honda S2000 Pontiac Montana Ford Explorer Mazda B series Hyundai Accent Pontiac Sunfire Ford Explorer Sport Trac Nissan Frontier Hyundai Elantra Porsche 911 GMC Jimmy Toyota Tacoma Hyundai Sonata Porsche Boxster GMC Yukon Toyota Tundra Hyundai Tiburon Saab 9-3 GMC Yukon XL Hyundai XG300 Saab 9-5 Honda CR-V Infiniti G20 Saturn LS Honda Passport Infiniti I30 Saturn LW Hyundai Santa Fe Infiniti Q45 Saturn SC Infiniti QX4 Jaguar S type Saturn SL Isuzu Rodeo Jaguar VDP/XJR Subaru Impreza Isuzu Rodeo Sport Jaguar XK8 Subaru Legacy/Outback Isuzu Trooper Kia Optima Suzuki Esteem Jeep Cherokee Kia Rio Toyota Avalon Jeep Grand Cherokee Kia Sephia Toyota Camry Jeep Wrangler Kia Spectra Toyota Camry Solara Kia Sportage Lexus ES 300 Toyota Celica Land Rover Discovery Series II Lexus GS 300 Toyota Corolla Land Rover Range Rover Lexus IS 300 Toyota Echo Lexus LX 470 Lexus LS 430 Toyota MR2 Lexus RX 300 Lincoln Continental Toyota Prius Lincoln Navigator Lincoln LS Toyota Sienna Mazda Tribute GOOD Lincoln Town Car Volkswagen Golf Mercedes M class ACCEPTABLE Mazda 626 Volkswagen Jetta Mercury Mountaineer MARGINAL Mazda Miata Volkswagen New Beetle Mitsubishi Montero POOR Mazda Millenia Volkswagen Passat Mitsubishi Montero Sport SPLIT RATING: depends on seat type Mazda MPV Volvo C70 Nissan Pathfinder Mazda Protege Volvo S40/V40 Nissan Xterra ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT Mercedes C class Volvo S60 Oldsmobile Bravada Active head restraint designs, Mercedes CLK class Volvo S80 Pontiac Aztek which move into position high Mercedes E class Volvo V70 Subaru Forester and close to an occupant’s Mercedes S class Suzuki Grand Vitara head in the event of a rear Mercedes SL class Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7 impact, automatically earn Mercedes SLK class Toyota 4Runner good ratings. Testing indicates Mercury Cougar Toyota Highlander such ratings are warranted, and they will be assigned until Mercury Grand Marquis Toyota Land Cruiser the Institute begins a Mercury Sable Toyota RAV4 comprehensive program of Mercury Villager Toyota Sequoia dynamic head restraint tests. Mitsubishi Diamante Mitsubishi Eclipse Mitsubishi Galant Mitsubishi Mirage.