The Nissan Rogue gets top safety marks. It was named a 2009 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To receive this award, a car must earn the top rating of Good in frontal, side-impact and rear crash tests. The car also must have stability control. For 2010, the IIHS added a new roof-strength crash test to its Top Safety Pick criteria. The Rogue hasn't undergone this test yet.

Besides stability control, the Rogue also has standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist and traction control. It also comes with six airbags, including side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows.

The Latch connectors are buried in the backseat, but a rear-facing car seat will fit in the second row without any problems. The floppy seat belt receptacles were an issue for both of my boys. My first-grader struggled to find it buried beneath his booster seat, and buckling up was definitely a two-handed job for my third-grader.