Saab 9-5 Sedan Named IIHS 2011 Top Safety Pick

Featured in the latest batch of vehicles that received the Top Safety Pick Award this year from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is the Saab 9-5 Sedan, a car that has already received the highest rating, five stars, in the crash tests conducted by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

But getting back to the results received from the US organization, IIHS found that the 9-5 Sedan complies with its stringent safety requirements, as it has achieved the highest rating in all four test categories and is fitted with ESP.

The categories include tests for front impact (offset) and side impact crashes. Seat/head restraints also undergo a simulated rear impact conducted on a sled to assess protection against whiplash injuries and the roof structure tested to assess vehicle rollover protection.

“We are very pleased with the 9-5´s performance. IIHS is an independent body and the results of their tests are easily accessible and objective information for car buyers. It is therefore important for us to achieve good results in this type of testing," says Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile.

“Our main priority, however, will always be to protect real people in real accidents, not just to do well in crash tests. It's the core of our Real-Life Safety philosophy," continues Per Lenhoff.

“Saab's Real-Life Safety philosophy is based on the fact that no collision is ever the same. Saab safety engineers continuously study how Saab cars behave in real collisions on public roads. The results of these studies are the basis for continued development of both design and safety solutions in cars as well as of Saab's in-house crash testing methods,” Saab explains in a statement for the press.