Cadillac’s SRX crossover has been awarded as Insurance Institute for Highway Safety TOP SAFETY PICK, as it scores the maximum possible in rear, front, and side impact tests as well as the rollover test. If you are a European, it’s the same as NCAP’s five-star safety rating. The SRX achieved “Good” rating in all of the tests, and that’s due to its rigid structure, apart from numerous standard active and passive safety features.

Press Release:

The Cadillac SRX, a midsize luxury SUV, earns the Institute’s top safety designation after getting a good rating for rollover protection. The SRX had previously earned good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes the vehicles that earn the highest ratings in all 4 Institute safety evaluations, and that have electronic stability control, which is standard on the SRX. Based on research of real-world crashes, the Institute evaluates rollover protection using a roof strength test. In this test a metal plate is pushed against one corner of a vehicle’s roof at a constant speed. The maximum force sustained by the roof before 5 inches of crush is compared to the vehicle’s weight to find the strength-to-weight ratio.

This is a good assessment of vehicle structural protection in rollover crashes. Good rated vehicles have roofs that can withstand a force equal to at least 4 times the vehicle’s weight. The roof of the ’10 SRX withstood a force equal to 4.14 times weight. For comparison, the current federal standard is 1.5 times weight. General Motors strengthened the roof structure of the SRX during the 2010 model year. The TOP SAFETY PICK award applies to models built after May 2010. Consumers now have 15 midsize SUVs to choose from that earn top crash ratings across the board.