2011 Saab 9-5 gets the Top Safety Pick Award from IIHS

The 2011 Saab 9-5 Sedan was named by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as one of its latest group of vehicles that got the Top Safety Pick Award this year. In fact, this model also took the highest rating, five stars, in the crash tests done by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). What the IIHS determined was that the 9-5 Sedan meets its strict safety requirements. It earned the highest rating in all four test categories and it features ESP.

Tests for front impact (offset) and side impact crashes are included in the categories it was tested for. To evaluate protection against whiplash injuries and to test the roof structure in the event that it rolls over, IIHS checked the seat/head restraints by simulating rear impact.

Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile, said that he is “pleased” with how the 9-5 performed in the independent tests conducted by the IIHS. Per Lenhoff added that it doesn’t only want to do well in crash tests. He said that Saab’s main priority is to “protect real people in real accidents” – the company’s “Real-Life Safety philosophy." [via - 4wheelsnews]