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The institute, which is funded by the insurance industry, said the redesigned Murano was the only vehicle among the nine tested to get the highest rating in front, side and rear crash tests. It praised Nissan for making electronic stability control standard on the 2009 Murano. The system, which helps prevent swerving, was an option on previous models.
"You don't know what kind of crash you're going to get into, so you want a vehicle that affords the best protection in the most common kinds of crashes," Joe Nolan, the institute's senior vice president, said in a statement.
General Motors's H3 was the only vehicle in the group that didn't get the top rating for frontal crash protection. Instead, it got the second-highest rating of "acceptable" because the test indicated high likelihood of injury to the driver's right leg.
The H3 also got an "acceptable" rating in the side crash test and the worst rating of "poor" in the rear crash test.
The institute said it downgraded side crash results for the H3, Kia Sorento and Chrysler's Jeep Liberty/Dodge Nitro - which are built on the same platform - because they lacked air bags that protected the torso. All three had curtain air bags that protected the head, but the tests indicated a likelihood of injuries to the driver's rib cage.
The Jeep Wrangler also got a low rating for side protection because its side air bags are optional and the institute tests vehicles without optional equipment. The Wrangler was the only vehicle in the group without standard side air bags.
In addition to the H3, the worst performers in the rear crash test were the Mitsubishi Endeavor and the Jeep Liberty/Dodge Nitro. The Jeep Wrangler, Suzuki XL7, Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9 all got the second-lowest rating of "marginal" on the rear test.
The rear crash test measures the risk of injury from whiplash, which is the most serious injury reported in 2 million insurance claims each year.
The institute said three vehicles - the Mitsubishi Endeavor, Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9 - would have been top safety picks if they hadn't performed so poorly in the rear crash test.
The institute's frontal crash test simulates a 65km/h crash and its effect on the driver, while the rear test simulates a 35km/h test.
The side crash simulates what would happen if the vehicle was struck in the side by a sport utility vehicle at 50km/h.
The side crash test uses dummies in both the front and rear seats.
