The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)  has released their results from sending the all new 2008 Dodge Caravan  into walls and other large obstacles a few times.

The good news for Dodge is that the minivan received top scores of Good in front and side crashes. The bad news is that the rear crash tests came back with a Marginal score, the second lowest possible.

The front and side crash test results are an improvement from the previous-generation Dodge Caravan’s Average scores. The front and side crash tests are the tests that depict the most serious types of accidents. IIHS describes rear crash tests as “an assessment of occupant protection against neck injury in rear impacts at low to moderate speeds. Although such injuries usually aren’t serious, they occur frequently.”

There are Minivans that have actually received IIHS’ Top Safety Pick designation — for Good scores in all 3 tests — include the 2008 Honda Odyssey, 2008 Hyundai Entourage and the 2008 Kia Sedona.

Come on Chrysler/Cerebrus. Let’s see that German aided American Engineering do better than this!

Chung Mong-koo, is the chairman of Hyundai Motors, who even after being convicted of fraud and embezzlement of over $100 million from Hyundai, has not only avoided all jail time, but he will remain as chairman of the company!

South Korea’s high court upheld its ruling that Chung Mong-koo, chairman of Hyundai Motors, should receive only a 3 year suspended sentence for embezzlement and breach of duty after his case went to retrial. Our favorite part of this whole scandal is the reason the judge gave for deciding against jail time.

Judge Kil Ki-bong affirmed Chung’s conviction and said though it “is deemed grave… the funds were used for company purposes, not his personal use” and assuaged jail time so that Mong-koo could get “the last chance to contribute to the national economy.” Jeez, Korea doesn’t even bother lying to the people, they just come right out and say it. At least the honesty of the system is refreshing, if nothing else. Catch the full story at Financial Times, registration required.