The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety slapped each of the four minivans in the U.S. market with less than acceptable ratings in its new moderate front overlap crash test, which places a higher emphasis on back seat safety.
The Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna received IIHS' "marginal" rating; the Honda Odyssey was rated "poor."
The unfavorable ratings stem from adopting improved airbags and advanced seat belts in front seats while overlooking the second row, creating a "safety gap," Joe Young, a spokesperson for IIHS, told Automotive News.
IIHS found that newer, advanced airbags and restraints are "rarely available" in the back.
"Back seat safety is important for all vehicles, but it's especially vital for those, like minivans, that customers are choosing specifically to transport their families," IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement.
While safety has improved in the front seats, there has been a comparativ…