Is safe driving a luxury?

[Bruce Nunnally]

Best of the best: Top crash-test scores

As a class, luxury vehicles have the best crash-test ratings. At the end of the 2009 model year, 12 out of 13 midsize luxury SUVs were Top Safety Picks, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, reflecting Good ratings in frontal, side-impact and rear crashes. The one model not cited hadn't been tested for side-impact crashes yet. Eleven out of 14 large cars and all 12 midsize luxury cars scored Good or Acceptable in frontal and side-impact crashes.

(For 2010, IIHS makes roof strength a criterion for Top Safety Picks, which is sure to cost some models their designation, but most vehicles cited in 2009 should retain their Good ratings in frontal, side-impact and rear tests.)

Another advantage is that nearly all luxury vehicles include antilock brakes and electronic stability systems as standard equipment. Known by innumerable names, most of which include the word "stability," computer-based electronic stability systems brake individual wheels and control the throttle to keep the vehicle on its intended path in low-traction situations. It's especially valuable in SUVs, as it can prevent conditions that lead to rollovers. These features are increasingly common among non-luxury cars, but the luxury class already has it covered.

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