ARLINGTON, Va. — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released results of its front, side and rear crash tests of midsize SUVs. The big winner is the 2009 Nissan Murano, which was called a Top Safety Pick. Losers were the Kia Sorento, given the lowest rating of "poor," and the Jeep Wrangler four-door and Liberty/Dodge Nitro, rated "marginal" for side crash safety.
Nine midsize SUVs were tested. The Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 and the Mitsubishi Endeavor were rated "good" in front and side tests but were rated lower in the rear-end crash testing because of their seat/head restraint combinations. The Suzuki XL7 was rated "good" in front testing, "acceptable" in side testing and "marginal" for the rear test.
The IIHS concluded that SUV safety is "improving" with all but one — the Hummer H3 — getting "good" ratings in frontal offset crash tests. That improvement comes in part because of the widespread addition of electronic stability control (ESC), which the institute now considers necessary and uses as a judging criterion.
The 2009 Nissan Murano has standard ESC and received "good" ratings on all three forms of crash tests and on whiplash protection in the rear-end crash testing.
The Jeep Wrangler was tested without the optional side airbags because, the IIHS says, when an item is optional, the vehicle is always tested without the option.
IIHS front crash tests are based on a 40-mph frontal offset crash test. The side test runs a barrier moving at 31 mph into the side of the vehicle. The rear crash test is a two-step procedure in which injury measures are obtained from one dummy in the driver's seat and the other in the backseat behind the driver.
What this means to you: It's good to be informed when shopping for a vehicle in this category. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
Nine midsize SUVs were tested. The Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 and the Mitsubishi Endeavor were rated "good" in front and side tests but were rated lower in the rear-end crash testing because of their seat/head restraint combinations. The Suzuki XL7 was rated "good" in front testing, "acceptable" in side testing and "marginal" for the rear test.
The IIHS concluded that SUV safety is "improving" with all but one — the Hummer H3 — getting "good" ratings in frontal offset crash tests. That improvement comes in part because of the widespread addition of electronic stability control (ESC), which the institute now considers necessary and uses as a judging criterion.
The 2009 Nissan Murano has standard ESC and received "good" ratings on all three forms of crash tests and on whiplash protection in the rear-end crash testing.
The Jeep Wrangler was tested without the optional side airbags because, the IIHS says, when an item is optional, the vehicle is always tested without the option.
IIHS front crash tests are based on a 40-mph frontal offset crash test. The side test runs a barrier moving at 31 mph into the side of the vehicle. The rear crash test is a two-step procedure in which injury measures are obtained from one dummy in the driver's seat and the other in the backseat behind the driver.
What this means to you: It's good to be informed when shopping for a vehicle in this category. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
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