Toyota Tacoma is best performer in small pickup truck crash tests

RUCKERSVILLE, Va. (AP) — The Toyota Tacoma was the best performer among small pickups in insurance industry crash tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave its highest rating of "good" to both two-door and four-door cab versions of the Tacoma.

Four-door versions of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon also earned "good" ratings, but two-door versions didn't. The Nissan Frontier was the worst performer.

The institute conducted a small overlap test, which replicates what happens when a vehicle runs off the road and hits a tree or a post. All the trucks tested were 2017 models.

No small pickup earned the institute's "Top Safety Pick" rating because they lack automatic emergency braking and their headlights don't perform well.

But the institute said the 2018 Tacoma will have automatic braking and upgraded headlights.