The new Saab
9-4X crossover has earned 'Top Safety Pick', the highest rating for
crashworthiness awarded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in
the United States. Only three weeks ago, the Saab 9-5 Sedan received the same
accolade.
"To
achieve two Top Safety Picks in three weeks is, of course, extremely
gratifying," says Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile.
"Our main priority is always the protection of real people in real
accidents, but the IIHS tests are a valuable guide for consumers and it is
important for us to achieve good results."
IIHS is a
research and communications organization funded by auto insurers in the US. The
test procedures include front impact (offset) and side impact crashes.
Seat/head restraints are also tested in a simulated rear-end impact to assess
protection against whiplash injuries and the roof structure is tested to assess
vehicle rollover protection.
Performance
is rated as 'Good', 'Acceptable',
'Marginal' or 'Poor' in each of the tests and to
achieve the 'Top Safety Pick' award, cars must achieve the highest
rating in all four procedures and should also be fitted with ESP®.