2012 Saab 9-4X earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Cadillac SRX and the Saab 9-4X may look quite a bit different, but the two vehicles are based upon the same hardware and are built in the same plant in Mexico. Since the SRX has already been given a "Top Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, does that mean that the Saab should also get the thumbs up? Yep.

The IIHS has just named the 9-4X a "Top Pick" because the luxurious crossover received top scores in front, rear and side-impact crashes while including standard stability control. Like the SRX, the 9-4X also scored a top score of "Good" in the roof crush test. To receive the top score, the 9-4X's roof had to hold at least four times its overall weight. In this case, the IIHS lumped the 9-4X with the SRX and gave it the exact same weight ratio of 4.14.

If you're scoring at home, you've probably noticed that more and more crossovers are acing the IIHS tests. Since the Insurance Institute tests are among the most stringent ever devised, we're thinking this is a very good thing for car buyers. Whether Saab will be around long enough for more car shoppers to buy the 9-4X is another matter altogether.