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Re-activateNine out of 10 SUVs in the latest tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provide good frontal crash protection. However, the ratings in the side crash tests are mixed, once again reinforcing the need for consumers to carefully review the safety equipment and safety ratings for models under consideration for purchase. (These tests and over 200 others can be viewed in the Consumer Reports crash test video player.)
In this group, the 2009 Nissan Murano was the best performer, getting good ratings for front-, side-, and rear-crash protection. The Murano earned the Top Safety Pick designation, joining a growing list of midsized SUVs to earn that accolade. (However, read "Nissan recalls SUVs for air bag fix.")
At the other end of the spectrum, the Jeep Liberty, four-door Jeep Wrangler, and Kia Sorento are the worst performers in the side test. The Liberty, its mechanical sibling Dodge Nitro, and Wrangler earn the second lowest rating of marginal for protection in side crashes. The Sorento earns the lowest rating of poor.
In 2001 only half of the midsized models that were tested earned good ratings in the IIHS frontal offset test. In the latest evaluations, only the Hummer H3 falls short, and it earns an acceptable rating. The H3 is one of only two midsized SUV designs the Institute has recently tested that doesn't earn a good rating in the frontal test. (The other is the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, and related GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7X).
As manufacturers introduce improved designs, the Institute sees more SUVs qualifying for Top Safety Pick by earning good ratings in all three tests and having electronic stability control (ESC).
"Performance of some of these models in the side test was surprising," said Institute senior vice president Joe Nolan in a statement. "SUVs should have an inherent advantage in such crashes because drivers and passengers ride higher up than in cars. 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."
Midsized, four-door SUVs
The February crash-test group is listed below in rank order, with the specific air bag configuration tested and applicable model years listed.
Nissan Murano
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2009 models
Mazda CX-7
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front and side: 2007-08 models
Mazda CX-9
Front - Good; Side - Good
Head-curtain air bags for all three rows and front torso air bags
Front and side: 2007-08 models
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Front - Good; Side - Good
Front and rear head-curtain air bags and front torso air bags.
Front: 2004-08 models, side: 2007-08 models
Suzuki XL7
Front - Good; Side - Acceptable; Rear - Marginal
Head-curtain air bags for all three rows
Front: 2008 models, side: 2007-08 models
Hummer H3
Front - Acceptable; Side - Acceptable
Front and rear head-curtain air bags.
Front and side: 2006-08 models. (Head-curtain air bags optional in 2006-2007)
Jeep Wrangler
Front - Good; Side - Marginal
Without optional side air bags
Front and side: 2007-08 models
Jeep Liberty & Dodge Nitro
Front - Good; Side - Marginal
Front and rear head-curtain air bags
Front and side: 2008 Liberty models and 2007-08 Nitro models
Kia Sorento
Front - Good; Side - Poor
Front and rear head-curtain air bags
Front: 2007-08 models, side: 2003-08 models
See how these SUVs perform in the crash test videos.
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