2002 to 2005 SUV w/ side curtain airbags?

Question

I'm in the market for a new vehicle. I recently found out my car is apparently the most unsafe on the road. (2003 Grand Am)

I have 2 kids and my biggest concern is their safety. Next concern is price. I want an SUV so I can be up high but I really want it to have SIDE CURTAIN airbags for the little ones in the back. Since price is a concern as well, i've figured that I could probably afford a 2002 to 2005 model, but which one? I have searched ans researched, but there isn't really a list of "SUV's from 2002 to 2005 w/ side curtain airbags". I'm looking for personal experience. Websites I can visit and enter a search criteria are ok too, but i'm sure i've already been there. I have been on every car site known to man. I appreciate everyone's help.

Answer 1

Safety should be a key consideration when buying any vehicle, but it's not very easy to assess on your own. Some buyers think they need a large vehicle, like an SUV or a pickup, to protect them in the event of an accident. Others worry about the higher incidence of rollover accidents involving pickup trucks and SUVs.

In fact, there are several factors to think about when weighing the overall safety of a vehicle. We'll highlight the various issues you should consider and tell you where to find additional information

Crash protection

The Insurance Institute conducts side-crash tests that are more severe than NHTSA's. It simulates a passenger car being hit in the side by a typical pickup truck or SUV at 31 miles per hour. Results are available at www.hwysafety.org .

NHTSA assigns star ratings to cars based on a side crash at 34 miles per hour to a moving vehicle at 17 miles per hour, and the impact occurs at a lower section than in the IIHS test. Its safety ratings are available at www.safercar.gov.

Cars with side-curtain air bags that cover the windows and protect a passenger's head have consistently been the best performers in both side-crash tests.

Vehicle compatibility

In a crash, the higher bumper on many taller vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, hits a typical passenger car above the bumper line and crumple zone, exerting its force into weaker portions of the smaller vehicle and inflicting greater damage to the car and its occupants.

Rollover resistance

Perhaps the SUV safety issue that has garnered the most attention is rollover. The NHTSA says SUVs have a rollover rate that is three times that of passenger cars. The agency provides rollover ratings for SUVs and other vehicles at www.safercar.gov.

The agency's rollover ratings for vehicles in the dynamic test ranged from a low risk of 12 percent for the Nissan Quest to a 26 percent chance for the Ford Ranger 4WD. SUVs ranged from 14 to 27 percent; pickups from 14 to 26 percent; and minivans from 12 to 20 percent. Passenger cars ranged from 7 to 18 percent.

Rollover resistance is mainly a matter of physics. For a given track width, a taller vehicle has a higher center of gravity, which makes it more top-heavy than one that sits lower. Vehicle design, including suspension and tires, affects stability. In a situation where a vehicle is subjected to strong sideway forces, as in a sudden cornering maneuver, it's easier for a taller vehicle to roll over. During normal circumstances drivers rarely encounter such strong forces, but an emergency can happen without warning. A rollover can occur in several types of situations, such as during an accident-avoidance maneuver, taking a corner too fast for road conditions, or when a tire blows out.

A few SUVs, notably those made by Ford and Volvo, also use technology that can sense a rollover and inflate side-curtain air bags as it starts. This is designed to protect occupants from ejection.

Roof crush

One of the main reasons vehicle occupants are injured or killed in rollover accidents is that the roof collapses or deforms enough to cause a head injury. So every new vehicle, including SUVs and trucks, must pass NHTSA's roof-crush requirement.

NHTSA has proposed a new regulation that would increase the force roofs must withstand to 2.5 times the vehicle weight.

Blind zones

The height of SUVs and pickup trucks creates large blind zones below the rear window and in front of the hood. According to Kids and Cars, which works to improve child safety, some 90 children die each year when drivers, sometimes parents, back over them while they are in blind zones.

Some SUVs and minivans are now available with rear-view video cameras. Our testing has shown that when used regularly, they can be effective.  

Answer 2

I don't think that you will find one with rear seat side airbags for those years but try this site, it may help you.......

http://www.edmunds.com

Answer 3

i think honda pilot or lexus RX330 to 350 have side curtain airbags.

Lexus is one of the most safety car in this world.

believe me!hihi.

nice day!