How safe is your midsize SUV? Whether you call it a crossover or an SUV, when it has your family inside of it, you want it to protect them as much as possible in the event of a crash.

The most recent round of small overlap front crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows the wide variety of safety offerings from the market.

The small overlap test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole. In the test, 25 percent of a vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph.

The big story to come out the tests is the Nissan Murano qualifying for the Institute’s highest award, TOP SAFETY PICK+. The Murano joins the previously qualified Toyota Highlander with that rating.

As a result of the crash testing, the Ford Flex earns an acceptable rating and qualifies for TOP SAFETY PICK. The Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Kia Sorento and Nissan Pathfinder all have achieved the same rating.

The Jeep Wrangler also performed well achieving a “good” rating, however, because it offers, “only marginal protection in side and rear crashes,” it’s not a recommended choice. Also, without a fixed roof, the Wrangler gives little protection during rollover crashes.

Three Fiat Chrysler SUVs did not fare well for small overlap protection:

• Dodge Journey
• Dodge Durango
• Jeep Cherokee

The Hyundai Santa Fe also earned a marginal rating.

“This test presented a major challenge for manufacturers when it was introduced three years ago, and many have adapted quickly,” says IIHS Chief Research Officer David Zuby. “Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep have had some successes with redesigned models, but they haven’t done much in the way of interim improvements. As a result, they still have many models that rate poor or marginal.”

 

image and graphic courtesy if IIHS