Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates 2009 Nissan Murano as ‘Top Safety Pick’

The redesigned 2009 Nissan Murano has earned the ‘Top Safety Pick Award’ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), being the best overall performer in front, side and rear tests of nine four-door midsize SUV models.
The Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler (four-door) and Kia Sorento, all 2008 models, were the worst performers in the side test. For protection in side crashes, the Liberty also sold as the Dodge Nitro and Wrangler earned the second-lowest rating within the marginal category.
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 ‘Top Safety Pick’ if they had good ratings for protection against neck injury in rear-end crashes,” the IIHS noted in a press release. “The seat/head restraint combinations in both Mazdas are rated marginal for rear crash protection. The Endeavor’s is poor.”
Overall, the safety of SUVs is improving, the IIHS says. “In 2001, only half of the midsize models that were tested earned good ratings in the frontal offset test. In the latest evaluations, all but the Hummer H3 do, and it earns an acceptable rating. As manufacturers introduce improved designs, more SUVs are qualifying for ‘Top Safety Pick’ by earning good ratings in all three tests and having electronic stability control (ESC).”
ESC is a control system made up of sensors and a microcomputer that continuously monitors how well a vehicle responds to a driver’s steering input. It selectively applies brakes and modulates engine power to keep the vehicle travelling along the path indicated by the steering wheel position.
“Institute research indicates that ESC reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by 56% and fatal multiple-vehicle crashes by 32%,” the IIHS says. “Many single-vehicle crashes involve rolling over, and this feature reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers by 80% (SUVs) and 77% (cars).