For the fourth consecutive year, Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and
Convertible gained recognition as the 2008 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick Award in the midsize category.
In 2007, the 9-3 was awarded for the Top Safety Pick Award. Meanwhile, this Saab vehicle received Top Safety Pick - Gold Award in 2006, while getting a Double Best Pick crash-test rating in 2005.
IIHS started testing convertibles only this year, and Saab 9-3 was awarded the same year. According to the report done by Reuters, the Saab 9-3 Convertible is one of two convertibles that received the Top Safety Pick Award. It is also “the only soft-top convertible to earn a top spot.”
IIHS judge the vehicles according to its “performance in high-speed front and side-impact crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries.” It can receive a rating of good, acceptable, marginal, or poor. Only vehicles that get good ratings in all three tests along with offering electronic stability control can win.
“The Saab 9-3 performed well in front and side crash tests and the Saab Active Head Restraints provide state-of-the-art protection against neck injuries,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund. “The addition of electronic stability control as standard equipment confirms Saab’s commitment to vehicle safety.”
Below are the awards Saab 9-3 range received as posted by Reuters:
• 9-3 Sedan: IIHS “Top Safety Pick”, 2008
• 9-3 Convertible: IIHS “Top Safety Pick”, 2008
• 9-3 Convertible: IIHS “Top Safety Pick”, 2007
• 9-3 Sedan: IIHS “Top Safety Pick”, 2007
• 9-3 Sedan: IIHS “Top Safety Pick - Gold Award”, 2006
• 9-3 SportCombi: Activelifestyle.com “Active Lifestyle Award”, 2006
• 9-3 Range: “Wards top-10 best engine”, Wards, 2006
• 9-3 SportCombi: SmartMoney “Best mispriced wagon” awards, SmartMoney magazine, 2006
• 9-3 SportCombi: “Top sport wagon”, buyacar.suite101.com, 2006
• 9-3 SportCombi: Intellichoice Award - Lowest Maintenance Costs in Class, 2006
• 9-3 Sedan: IIHS “Double Best Pick” crash test rating, 2005
• 9-3 SportCombi: “Good” rating (the maximum rating) for Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), from Britain’s Thatcham Insurance Research Center crash tests, 2005
• 9-3 Convertible: “Good” rating (the maximum rating) for Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), from Britain’s Thatcham Insurance Research Center crash tests, 2005
• 9-3 Sedan: “Good” rating (the maximum rating) for Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), from Britain’s Thatcham Insurance Research Center crash tests, 2004
• 9-3 Convertible: Five stars, top rating from European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) crash tests, 2004
• 9-3 Sedan: “Green”, top rating for Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), from Swedish Insurance Company Folksam’s crash tests, 2003
• 9-3 Sedan: Five stars, top rating from European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) crash tests, 2002
News from: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS190789+06-Dec-2007+PRN20071206
