It’s a clean sweep for Buick: Now that the all-new 2012 Buick Verano has been rated as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), all members of the current Buick family carry that impressive designation. The Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave became Top Safety Picks for 2011 and retain that status for the new model year. All told, General Motors currently hosts 14 different Top Safety Picks, all of which have achieved that honor thanks to electronic stability control and top marks in the Institute’s tests for side, front, rear and rollover safety protection.
The Verano puts the spotlight on safety with standard equipment like:
• 10 airbags, including driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal and seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax airbags; rear outboard seat-mounted side-impact airbags; head-curtain side air bags with rollover protection for outboard occupants in both rows; and driver and front passenger knee air bags
• GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• Anti-lock disc brakes with full-function traction control
• Front seat-belt pretensioners
• A collapsible pedal system that helps minimize potential foot, leg and ankle injuries
• The automaker’s OnStar system, including a GPS-enabled Automatic Crash Response System that automatically connects with a live advisor if it detects an airbag deployment
In addition, the Verano has a particularly strong body structure of which 60 percent is made from advanced, high-strength steels.