2013 Nissan Leaf named 'Top Safety Pick' in IIHS crash tests

Life can be good in a 2013 Nissan Leaf, even when you're crashing one. The all-electric five-seater from Nissan, which is enjoying surging sales this year, has now received the top safety rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The Leaf joined the Nissan Altima and Infiniti M37/M56 on Nissan's stable on the 2013 Top Safety Picks list (which includes a heap of other vehicles) by getting "good" ratings in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. Among safety-related goodies in the Leaf are its front and side airbags, sensored seat belts and traction-control systems for EV drivers looking to get squirrely.

Ever since Nissan cut the price of the US version by $6,400, to a base of $28,800, Leaf sales through the first four months of the year more than doubled from a year earlier to 5,476 units.

Via Autoblog