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Nissan rules, Chrysler disappoints in latest SUV crash tests

Nissan rules, Chrysler disappoints in latest SUV crash tests

The newly redesigned Nissan Murano tops the latest midsized SUVs to face the tough Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) small overlap crash test. In doing so, it earned the coveted Top Safety Pick Plus accolade from IIHS, which factors front, small overlap front, and side crash tests; roof strength; head restraints; and crash avoidance technology performance.

Redesigned for the 2015 model year, the Murano was found to have made notable improvements in roof strength over the previous generation. Further, it scored Good marks in all measures included for the small overlap test, in which just 25 percent of a vehicle’s front end strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph, simulating striking a pole or tree.

Ranked second in this group, the Ford Flex scored an Acceptable in the small overlap test, although injury measures were judged to be Good across the board. It earned a Top Safety Pick designation.

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited four-door scored better than the Flex in the small offset, with a Good rating. But in other IIHS tests, the Wrangler comes up short, with just Marginal ratings for the side crash tests and head restraint and seat evaluations. Further, because it lacks a fixed roof, IIHS states that the Wrangler “can’t provide good protection in rollover crashes.”

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The Hyundai Santa Fe scored midpack in the small overlap test, with a Marginal score—a disappointment for a relatively recent design. However, it does earn top marks in the other key IIHS tests.

The Dodge Durango, Dodge Journey, and Jeep Cherokee are the worst scoring vehicles in this latest test. As we have seen with other test batches, older vehicles tend to be at a disadvantage in the small overlap crash unless running improvements have been made to update crash performance. Hence, the Poor score for the Dodge Journey and Marginal score for the Durango were not surprising, but the much newer Cherokee should have fared better. The Cherokee does earn a Good rating in the other IIHS tests.

With this latest batch of SUVs, the Murano joins the Toyota Highlander as the only vehicles in this class to earn a IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus. Other Top Safety Picks include the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Kia Sorento, and Nissan Pathfinder.

—George Kennedy



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