The 2009 Nissan Murano is the best overall performer in front, side, and rear tests of nine 4-door midsize SUV models in new safety tests released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Murano earned the institute's top safety pick award following the tests.
The Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, and Kia Sorento, all 2008 models, were the worst performers in the side impact test conducted by IIHS. The Liberty, also sold as the Dodge Nitro, and Wrangler earned the second lowest rating of marginal for protection in side crashes.
The Sorento earned the lowest rating of poor.
The Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 as well as the Mitsubishi Endeavor earned good ratings for protection in front and side crashes. All three would have won a top safety pick award the vehicles had good ratings for protection against neck injury in rear-end crashes. The seat and head restraint combinations in both Mazdas were rated marginal for rear crash protection. The Endeavor was rated as poor.
"SUVs should have an inherent advantage in such crashes because drivers and passengers ride higher up than in cars," said Joe Nolan, an IIHS vice president. "People often think they're safer in an SUV, but many cars perform much better in our side test than some of the SUVs in this group."
The Hummer H3 was the only SUV tested to earn the second-highest score of acceptable in front crashes and was graded as only acceptable in side impact despite side-curtain air bags.
The IIHS reported that the test dummy in the H3's tests recorded a high impact on its right leg, suggesting a high chance of injury.
For the 2007 model year, the Institute added ESC as a criterion. ESC is a stability control system comprised of sensors and a microcomputer that continuously monitors how well a vehicle responds to steering input and selectively applies brakes and modulates engine power to keep the vehicle traveling along the path indicated by the steering wheel position.
IIHS research indicates that ESC reduces the risk of fatal single vehicle crashes by 56 percent and fatal multiple vehicle crashes by 32 percent. The system reduces the risk of fatal single vehicle rollovers by 80 percent in SUVs and 77 percent in cars, according to the IIHS.
"Combined with test results released last year, consumers now have 9 midsize, moderately priced SUV models that earn our Top Safety Pick designation," Nolan said.
IIHS safety tests are more stringent than those run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and automakers sometimes modify a vehicles and request that the institute rerun tests to gain better scores for advertising.
Among the 94 SUVs from the 2008 model year crash-tested by federal regulators, only 10 earned less than four out of five stars.
