Arlington, Virginia - The 2009 Acura RL has earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). To qualify, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “Good” in the Institute’s front, side and rear crash tests, and be equipped with electronic stability control.

“Criteria to win are tough because Top Safety Pick is intended to drive continued improvements such as good crash test ratings and rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard equipment on the RL,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund. “Recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices, without having to sort through multiple test results.”

The RL is the fourth Acura and the ninth model from Honda to earn the recognition. The company redesigned the RL’s seat/head restraints to improve the rating for proection in rear crashes from “Marginal” for 2005-2008 models to “Good” for the 2009. “You don’t know what kind of crash you’re going to be in, so it’s important to choose a vehicle that will protect you in all kinds of crashes,” Lund said.