Nissan Murano Scores Top Safety Marks From IIHS
The latest crop of mid-size SUVs just passed through the IIHS’ most rigorous test: the small overlap crash test. In it, the vehicle hits a small barrier with 25% of its front area at a speed of 64 km/h. This test was recently introduced, and is notably difficult for vehicles to pass: since the car’s front crumple zones aren’t hit, it’s much more difficult to dissipate kinetic energy.
The Nissan Murano has been redesigned for 2015, and according to the manufacturer, they took this test into account when designing the vehicle. In order to improve safety, engineers developed extra crumple zones up front.
And those efforts have paid off: data collected from the crash-test dummies shows that occupants of the 2015 Murano would have been relatively unharmed in a real-life collision. The same can’t be said for the Dodge Journey and Durango.
The Murano becomes one of the seven mid-size SUVs to earn the Top Safety Pick in this category (along with the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Flex, GMC Terrain, Kia Sorento, Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Highlander).