Why do similar cars attract different insurance premiums? One reason is repair costs. Even a minor collision at 10 kilometres an hour can cause considerable damage to your car.
We've bumper tested nine vehicles representing the newest car designs on our roads to see how much they cost to repair. The results can help car manufacturers to improve vehicle design and keep collision repair costs down.
2007 NRMA Insurance bumper test results
| Vehicle size | Vehicle | Repair cost | Repair cost percentage of purchase price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small cars | Hyundai Getz (5 Door Hatch) |
$3,363 | 22.4% |
| Toyota Yaris (5 Door Hatch) |
$4,016 | 22.1% | |
| Suzuki Swift (5 Door Hatch) |
$5,547 | 34.7% | |
| Small - medium cars | Toyota Corolla (5 Door Hatch) |
$1,019 | 4.4% |
| Ford Focus (Sedan) |
$2,358 | 10.7% | |
| Holden Astra (5 Door Hatch) |
$2,627 | 10.9% | |
| Mazda 3 (5 Door Hatch) |
$2,886 | 12.6% | |
| Mitsubishi Lancer (Sedan) |
$5,467 | 23.5% | |
| Honda Civic (Sedan) |
$7,386 | 31.0% |
Read our media release: Bad bumpers bump up repair costs
About the bumper tests
The bumper tests are based on a new international standard bumper test from RCAR (the Research Council for Automobile Repairs). The test uses a standardised bumper beam that is 100mm tall with a flexible, energy absorbing cover that replicates a real vehicle bumper system. A backplate which is 200mm tall is fitted to the top surface of the bumper barrier; 25mm behind the front face. This represents the rear structure above the bumper of the vehicle being crashed into.
The tests are run at 10 km/h. with the bumper barrier height set to 455mm from the ground. This is to recreate the underride phenomenon seen in real world crashes.