Half of the small sport utility vehicles crash tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earned the group's Top Safety Pick designation.

The 2009 Ford Escape, 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander, 2008 Nissan Rogue, and 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan topped the group of eight small SUVs. The four SUVs got the top rating of good on front and side crash tests, plus evaluations of head and seat restraints for protection against whiplash injuries in rear crashes.

All are equipped with standard electronic stability control and side airbags. The Escape's ratings also apply to the hybrid version, which is sold as the Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute as well as the Escape.

Consumers now have multiple hybrid SUVs earning Top Safety Pick to choose from. Others include the midsize Saturn Vue and Toyota Highlander, which the Institute evaluated earlier.

"In the latest tests, the Tiguan's performance is a standout," said Institute president Adrian Lund. "It sailed through the front and side crash tests without a single downgrade for structure or measures of injury likelihood recorded on the dummy. This is one of four models in this group that afford superior crash protection in their class. This is a huge change from just five years ago when most small SUVs were rated either marginal or poor in our side test, and standard side airbags and electronic stability control were rare."

Electronic stability control is important because it can help drivers avoid many crashes. This feature lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half. It lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle rollover crash by as much as 70 percent.

The IIHS said that since the frontal offset crash test was started in 1995, automakers have been making design changes to do a better job of protecting people in the most common kind of serious crash. Now nearly every vehicle is rated good for frontal protection, when in the mid-1990s, few vehicles earned a rating of good in the frontal test.

Since the Institute began its side tests in 2003, manufacturers have been following the same path, changing their vehicles to improve protection in serious side impacts.

"Most vehicles are being improved," Lund said. "We've rarely seen a vehicle go in the wrong direction and get a worse rating after it has been redesigned."

The Jeep Wrangler and Chevrolet Equinox, also a 2008 model, are the only 2 vehicles tested this time around without standard side airbags. The Jeep Patriot does have standard curtain airbags, but additional torso airbags designed to protect an occupant's chest and abdomen are optional.

When side airbags are optional, the Institute's policy is to test without the option because this is how most of the vehicles will be sold. A manufacturer may request another test with the optional airbags if the automaker reimburses the Institute for the cost of the vehicle.

General Motors didn't request a second test of the Equinox, also sold as the Pontiac Torrent. After completing tests of this group of vehicles, the Institute learned that curtain airbags will be standard in the 2009 Equinox. This vehicle will be tested later this year.

"Since they didn't ask us to test the 2008 Equinox with its optional side airbags, we have to assume it means GM didn't expect it to perform much better, even with the option," Lund said.

Chrysler didn't request another test of the Wrangler with the optional side airbags, but this automaker did request a second test of the Jeep Patriot with optional torso airbags.

When tested with the standard curtain airbags only, the Patriot earned the second lowest rating of marginal. In the second side test of the Patriot with the optional seat-mounted torso airbags, this vehicle's rating improved to good.

The Ford Escape was re-engineered for the 2009 model year. Among the changes are modifications to the frontal airbags and safety belts plus structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. The new Escape improves from acceptable to good in the front crash test. A new seat design improves the rear crash protection rating from acceptable to good. Side airbags, optional before 2008 models, now are standard.

Occupant protection in rear crashes generally is improving as automakers strive to earn Top Safety Pick awards, the IIHS said. IIHS research found that neck injury rates for drivers of vehicles with seat/head restraint combinations rated good are 15 percent lower than for drivers of vehicles with combinations rated poor.

Designs that need improvement are those in the Chevrolet Equinox, Jeep Wrangler, and Suzuki Grand Vitara, all of which earned the second lowest rating of marginal.