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Re-activateIn 2007, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced plans that would require electronic stability control (ESC) to be on all light passenger vehicles by the 2012 model year. Electronic stability control helps prevent a vehicle from skidding or sliding in a turn. It's especially helpful in slippery conditions and accident-avoidance situations. While many manufacturers have escalated their ESC plans and offer it earlier on their vehicles as a standard or optional feature, there are still a number of vehicles that have not yet made this important safety feature available.
2009 models that do not offer ESC:
Chevrolet Aveo/Pontiac G3
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Dodge Dakota
Dodge Viper
Ford Mustang
Ford Ranger/Mazda B-series
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio
Kia Spectra
Lincoln Town Car
Lotus Elise
Mazda5
Mercury Grand Marquis
Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Raider
Nissan Sentra
Nissan Versa
Scion tC
Toyota Yaris
Consumer Reports has noted that ESC is the most important safety feature since the development of the seat belt. For the vehicles listed in our annual Top Picks report, which highlights the best models in 10 categories, ESC must be either standard or readily available as an option. NHTSA has estimated that as many as 10,000 lives would be saved if all vehicles were so equipped.
When looking to buy a car, choose a model with standard ESC or consider paying extra for it if it's only available as an option. To find out which models have ESC and other important safety features, see our safety comparison chart. For a rundown of the most important safety gear, see our guide to safety features.
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