2011 Mini Countryman named IIHS 'Top Safety Pick'

Mar 7th 2011 at 9:33AM

2011 Mini Countryman – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Mini Countryman has been declared a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, after receiving a 'good' rating in front, side, rear and rollover tests. IIHS also cited the Countryman's standard electronic stability control as a deciding factor in giving it the nod.

The Mini Countryman sports driver and passenger front air bags, side curtain air bags and seat-mounted torso air bags. There's also an airbag in the lower dashboard on the passenger side to help prevent knee injuries in head-on impacts.

In the side impact test, IIHS again determined that the risk of injury to the driver was low, but that the passenger risked a fractured femur. Despite that, risk to the rest of the body was low.