Top 10 Most Toxic Cars
Cars can be bad for your health, and we’re not just talking about tailpipe emissions. The Ecology Center has published a list of the least and worst toxic vehicles from 2011-2012 after testing 205 different models with the aid of an x-ray fluorescence analyzer.
The tests consisted of scanning interior components such as the seats, dashboard, carpets, headliner, and door trim, and identifying the elements in each material. Based on the size of the item and the amount of contact a person would have with it, the numbers were crunched and the car given a score from a scale of 1-5, with a low score showing the chemicals being tested for weren’t detected, while a 5 would indicate high levels of the chemicals were detected.
Items commonly found in car components include elements like bromine, chlorine, antimony, mercury and lead.
Coming in as the 10th worst pick is the MINI Cooper S Clubman with an overall score of 2.84. The Cooper S Clubman is the MINI for those that wish to have a little more room than the standard Coopers. The Clubman is 9.4 inches longer overall than the standard MINI with a 3.2-inch longer wheelbase.
ninth place. The successor to the VW Golf Cabriolet, the Eos is a four-seater with a retractable hardtop and is the first production coupe from the German automaker since the last Corrado in 1995. If you grabbed yourself one of these, you might want to drive with the top down a little more than normal to get that new car smell out of the way.
The Kia Sportage is a compact crossover SUV and comes in at eighth place with an overall score of 2.87. The third generation Sportage was a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, after they overhauled their test. Perhaps they should check to see if the interior of the vehicles are too toxic to warrant the award.
Our first domestic vehicle of the list, the Chevrolet Aveo5 scored a 2.89, good enough to be seventh worst on the list. Known as the Sonic in the U.S., Chevy recently went out of their way to heavily market their new compact, showing how fun and versatile it is.
The fourth generation Accent comes in at sixth place with a score of 2.98, making it the second vehicle from a Korean automaker on the list. The 2012 Hyundai Accent starts at $12,445, but it seems you pay in other ways.
The Mazda CX-7 is a mid-sized crossover SUV from the Japanese automaker and comes in at fifth place with an overall score of 3.08. The CX-7 got an update in 2010, refreshing the front and rear ends of the SUV while the interior got redesigned gauges and a new Multi Information Display.
Essentially tied with the Mazda CX-7 with a score of 3.08, the Nissan Versa comes in as the fourth worst toxic vehicle. This isn’t a huge surprise considering that the Versa is Nissan’s entry-level model so we expect it to have cheaper components. The 2011 model year that was tested however marks the end of the current generation of Versas, with its second generation around the corner. Perhaps the newer model will be chemically safer?
So that’s where those funky, dancing hamsters came from. The Kia Soul comes in third place with a score of 3.11 making the urban crossover a little more toxic than we’d like. But with a starting price of just $13,900, it’s a little understandable that cheaper components were used in the interior.
It is worth mentioning that even though the Chrysler 200 SC is in 2nd place on the list, it actually had the same overall score as the worst vehicle on the list with 3.17. Nonetheless, the Sebring replacement made its grand entrance to the market as a 2011 model year, and can now claim its price as one of the most toxic vehicles on the list.
Topping the list of the most toxic vehicle of 2011-2012 is the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with a score of 3.17. If you want to compare just how bad the Outlander Sport is, the least toxic vehicle, the Honda Civic, had a score of just 0.46. So what made the Outlander Sport so bad? Ecology Center researchers found bromine and antimony-based flame retardants in the seat materials, center console, and seat base of the interior. Mitsubishi also used chromium-tested leather on several components and had over 400 parts per million lead in seating materials.
Maybe next time you won’t be so eager to waft in that new car smell. Those fumes can be toxic.
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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I'd suggest by far the most toxic car, or rather the car whose drivers and fans are the most toxic, would be the Nissan Skyline GTR ... the way they rant, beat their chests and pump their fists, you'd think they invented the wheel!
i like honda car