If you're in the market for a safe car, you could do a lot worse than the 2009 Subaru Forester, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The redesigned Forester has been recognized by the IIHS as a Top Safety Pick by earning the highest crash safety rating in front, side, and rear impact tests, as well as featuring an electric stability control system - all requirements for qualification.
Frontal crash testing procedures call for a 40 mph offset collision after which measurements dictate how much driver injury is likely to occur and how much intrusion there is in the cabin. In side crash testing, a barrier based on the front end of an SUV contacts the vehicle's side at 31 mph and injuries are assessed on two crash test dummies. Finally, rear crash testing tests the effectiveness of the head restraints by monitoring dummy neck movement during a 20 mph rear end collision.
Thus far, the IIHS has designated 37 vehicles currently sold in the U.S. as Top Safety Picks.
Source: PR Newswire