The all-new 2015 Nissan Murano has just earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest honor, the Top Safety Pick Plus safety rating. This comes after the IIHS evaluated five crash categories including moderate front overlap, side, roof strength, head restraint, and the new small overlap crash tests.

The crossover->ke288 scored a “Good” rating in all five Top Safety Pick categories, plus offers an optional crash prevention system, which means it qualifies for the Top Safety Pick Plus award. Crash prevention systems are also rated by their effectiveness with either an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating. The Murano scored a superior.

Helping the Murano pass the battery of tests is a bevy of safety equipment, including Nissan’s->ke62 Advanced Airbag System with its dual-stage deployment, seat belt detectors, and occupant weight sensors. Also present are seat-mounted side airbags up front, side curtain airbags, and a driver’s knee airbag. The front seats also get seat belts with pre-tensioners while the rear seats come with the mandated LATCH child seat hook-ups.

On the preventative side, the Murano is optional with Nissan’s “Safety Shield” technologies, which include Intelligent Cruise Control, Blind Spot Warning, Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Forward Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Driver Attention Alert.

Thanks to the Murano’s IIHS classification of a Top Safety Pick Plus, the crossover will cost less to insure than it otherwise would. That’s certainly a win-win for car buyers in the market for an affordable and safe->ke2860 family vehicle.

Continue reading to watch the video and to learn more about the 2015 Nissan Murano.

Why it matters

Safety is a big factor in choosing a new vehicle. These days, the general car-buying public is becoming more informed about what these crash ratings mean and how they apply to vehicle safety. For automakers, being able to advertise crash safety awards is a big deal. After all, getting injured (or worse) in a car crash isn’t fun. These ratings and their overall positive effect on the automaker’s products are certainly appreciated.

What’s more, automakers sell more of a vehicle if its crash test ratings are higher. For example, only one other midsize crossover earned a Top Safety Pick Plus award for 2015, the Toyota Highlander. That narrows down the field of contenders for a car buyer set on having the safest available vehicle.

2015 Nissan Murano