2014 Nissan Rogue Named Top Safety Pick+

The 2014 Nissan Rogue has achieved a rare feat among today's smaller crossovers and SUVs, becoming the first mainstream entry in its class to be designated a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Now, a couple things need to be made clear here: First, the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain also have achieved Top Safety Pick+ status, but the IIHS classifies those GM entries as "Midsize SUVs" while considering the 2014 Nissan Rogue a "Small SUV." Second, the Institute now requires some sort of forward-collision technology to earn its highest rating, so it technically applies only to Rogues that are so equipped.

On the other hand, no matter how you slice the segments, the only other mainstream crossover of any size on the Top Safety Pick+ list is the Toyota Highlander; there's nary a Ford Escape, Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 to be found. Also, owners of the 2014 Nissan Rogue still benefit from the same advanced body structure that underpins all models and helped the vehicle post the highest possible marks in testing for roof strength and seat/head-restraint safety performance, as well as in the Institute's physical crash tests for side-crash scenarios and small and moderate frontal-overlap impacts.

Further, the 2014 Nissan Rogue offers a wide range of safety measures that go well beyond what's required by the IIHS. Forward-collision, lane-departure and blind-spot warnings are all available, for example, and there's nothing else in the segment quite like the "Nissan Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection." It can identify and warn drivers of moving objects in a 360-degree perimeter around the Rogue, then also doubles as parking-assistance system that can provide a "curb's eye" view of the environment.

The party line from Fred Diaz, senior vice president of Sales & Marketing, Parts & Service, U.S.A for Nissan North America: "Nissan has a long-standing commitment to safety and innovation, and this IIHS rating is a very important milestone for the all-new 2014 Rogue. Rogue is the second best-selling vehicle in Nissan's lineup, and with its standard and available safety features, we're bringing a new level of affordable technologies and innovations to a growing segment looking for fresh ideas."