SAFETY

My kids' booster seats fit like a charm in the backseat. The seat belt buckles were a little floppy, but older kids won't struggle with them. Younger ones may need a little help buckling up on their own. The three tether anchors were easy to access, yet the two sets of lower Latch anchors were a little tight against the seat bottom. In MotherProof.com's Car Seat Check, the 2011 Murano fit three child-safety seats in its backseat.

The Murano has been crash-tested by both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In IIHS' tests, it scored the top score of Good in frontal-offset, side-impact and rear crash tests. It scored Marginal in a roof-strength test. It also received four stars out of five overall in NHTSA's crash tests.

The Murano is equipped with safety features such as four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, front-wheel drive, active head restraints, an electronic stability system with traction control and six airbags, including side curtains for both rows.

Optional safety features include all-wheel drive and a backup camera.

    See also:

    Forward-facing child restraint installation using the seat belts
    WARNING The three-point seat belt with Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) must be used when installing a child restraint. Failure to use the ALR mode will result in the child restraint not being p ...

    Avoiding collision and rollover
    Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe and prudent manner may result in loss of control or an accident. Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid e ...

    Precautions on seat belt usage
    If you are wearing your seat belt properly adjusted and you are sitting upright and well back in your seat with both feet on the floor, your chances of being injured or killed in an accident a ...