Surprisingly Unsafe: the 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am/Oldsmobile Alero

The 4th-generation Pontiac Grand Am, as detailed in the last post, started off as a death trap for its time before catching up on safety in its later model years. But the 5th-generation Grand Am, though no less safe than the late 4th-generation models, would fall right back into Surprisingly Unsafe status - because car safety is a constantly evolving thing, and what passed muster in 1996 had fallen behind by the early-mid 2000s. 

The 1999 Grand Am started out somewhat behind its class - midsize inexpensive cars - out of the gate. While the NHTSA crash test ratings were not bad - 4 stars frontal and 3 stars side - the Grand Am was, alongside the Daewoo Leganza, the only midsize inexpensive cars redesigned in 1996 or later that earned a Poor rating in the IIHS offset. (The Ford Contour and Dodge Stratus designs dated back to the 1995 model year, and they were soon to be replaced).

 The 1999 Pontiac Grand Am flunks its IIHS offset crash test.

Here is a listing of crash test results for 1999 midsize inexpensive cars. If side-impact airbags were optional, results for the base model without them are shown. 

Results are listed as (NHTSA frontal, NHTSA side, IIHS offset).

Toyota Camry: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, 3 star P side - IIHS Good

Hyundai Sonata: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 4 star D, 5 star P side - IIHS Acceptable

Honda Accord: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 4 star D, 4 star P side - IIHS Acceptable

Mitsubishi Galant: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, 4 star P side - IIHS Acceptable

Subaru Legacy: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, unrated P side - IIHS Acceptable

Mazda 626: 4 star D, 5 star P frontal - 3 star D, 1* star P side - IIHS Acceptable

Chevy Malibu:4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 1 star D, 3 star P side - IIHS Acceptable

Nissan Altima: 3 star D, 3 star P frontal - 3 star D, 3 star P side - IIHS Marginal (2000)

Ford Contour: 5 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, 4 star P side - IIHS Poor

Pontiac Grand Am: 4 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, 3 star P side - IIHS Poor

Daewoo Leganza: 3 star D, 3 star P frontal - 4 star D, 3 star P side - IIHS Poor

Dodge Stratus: 3 star D, 4 star P frontal - 3 star D, 2 star P side - IIHS Poor

By 2005, the Grand Am was below-average in the NHTSA crash tests, but not a disaster. While most competitors were getting the full 5 stars in the NHTSA full frontal test, the Grand Am still scored a respectable 4 on both sides - and it did have several vehicles keeping it company. Same with NHTSA side impact - below average, but not the worst. In the IIHS offset, however, the Grand Am was a disaster by 2005 standards. It was a distant 15th out of 15 midsize inexpensive car designs - of the other 14, 9 got a Good rating and 5 an Acceptable, leaving the Grand Am alone with its Poor. (The last midsize sedan that performed worse than an Acceptable in this test was the Poor-rated Daewoo Leganza, and that was discontinued after 2002, leaving the Grand Am as the sole sub-Acceptable vehicle for three whole years!) If a car had optional side-impact airbags and was tested by IIHS, both versions are shown. Most vehicles still struggled in the IIHS side impact at this time; the Grand Am was never tested, but would have certainly gotten a Poor rating. No midsize sedans without side-impact airbags got anything other than a Poor. 

Also notice that GM vehicles in this class had a wide range of safety they offered. The Chevy Malibu with side airbags was among the safest midsize sedans of the era. The Malibu without side airbags was safe in front impacts, but had dismal side impact ratings; fortunately, the side and curtain airbag option was widely available for about $500. Rarely has there ever been a wiser way to spend $500. 

Results are listed as (NHTSA frontal stars, NHTSA side stars, IIHS offset, IIHS side)

Mitsubishi Galant: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 5 D, 5 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Good

Chevy Malibu w/SAB: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 5 D, 4 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Good

Toyota Camry w/SAB: 5 D, 5 P frontal - & side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Good

Honda Accord: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 4 D, 4 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Good

Toyota Camry: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 4 D, 3 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Poor

Subaru Legacy: 5 D, 5 P frontal - & side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Marginal

Mazda 6: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 3 D, 4 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Poor

Nissan Altima: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 3 D, 3 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Poor

Chevy Malibu: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 1^ D, 5 P side - IIHS offset Good - IIHS side Poor

Dodge Stratus: 5 D, 5 P frontal - 3 D, 3 P side - IIHS offset Acceptable - IIHS side Poor

Saturn L-Series: 4 D, 5 P frontal - 3 D, 5 P side - IIHS offset Acceptable - IIHS side Poor

Suzuki Verona: 3 D, 4 P frontal - 4 D, 3 P side - IIHS offset Acceptable - IIHS side Marginal

Hyundai Sonata: 4 D, 4 P frontal - 4 D, 4 P side - IIHS offset Acceptable - IIHS side Poor

Chevrolet Classic: 4 D, 4 P frontal - 3 D, 4 P side - IIHS offset Acceptable - IIHS side Poor $

Pontiac Grand Am: 4 D, 4 P frontal - 3 D, 3 P side - IIHS offset Poor - IIHS side Poor $

Notice we've been talking about the Grand Am sedan. The coupe was even less safe than the already very disappointing sedan. The Grand Am coupe got 4 stars for the driver and 5 for the front passenger in the NHTSA full-frontal - but a marginally better front passenger result is little advantage compared to the coupe's disastrous side impact protection. And unlike the Malibu, you couldn't buy your way out of this; if you were T-boned in a Grand Am coupe, you were in a bad way. The thoracic trauma index for the front occupant in the Grand Am coupe was a whopping 110, far worse than the sedan's 82. (57 or under earned a vehicle 5 stars, and 99 or more meant 1 star). Combine that with a head-injury criterion of 1,532 - enough for a 60% risk of severe head injury on its own - and the driver's seat of the 1999-2005 Grand Am coupe was among the worst places you could be in any 2000s vehicle in a side impact. The Grand Am's rear passenger had a far lower TTI - 68, compared to the 88 of the sedan's rear seat - but the actual injury risk would have still been higher, thanks to the 1,020 HIC. The coupe got 1 star for driver protection and 4 stars officially for rear passenger protection, however with the high HIC, its protection level was more like a 2-star vehicle. 

The extra pair of doors on the sedan could literally be a lifesaver in a side impact. 

& The 2006-2009 Legacy, with modified side airbags, got a Good rating in the IIHS side-impact test and 5 stars for both occupants in the NHTSA side test. The 2005-only version was not tested by NHTSA, but got a Marginal IIHS side rating. Side and curtain airbags were standard on the Legacy from 2005 on. 

The 2005 Toyota Camry with side and curtain airbags was not tested by NHTSA, but it can be assumed it would at least get ratings as good as the non-SAB version (4 and 3 stars) and likely better. 

$ Any passenger car without side-impact airbags is automatically assumed Poor in the IIHS side impact.

*Marked down for HIC. Official rating is 3 stars.

^Marked down for HIC. Official rating is 4 stars.

# Marked down for HIC. Official rating is 5 stars.

NOTE: Ratings are as given, except that if a vehicle exceeded a HIC of 1,000 in the side impact its rating is listed as 2 stars, if the HIC exceeded 1,300 it's listed as 1 star.