MINI USA announced today that the all-new 2017 MINI Countryman has earned a TOP SAFETY PICK award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Countryman earns this designation when equipped with the optional front crash prevention system, which earned an advanced rating from the independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization.

The 2017 MINI Countryman earned the designation thanks to good crashworthiness ratings across the board, including the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. The MINI Countryman also benefits from an optional advanced-rated front crash prevention system, which in IIHS track tests at 12 and 25 mph, the system mitigated a collision, reducing the impact speed by 7 mph in both tests.

“The new MINI Countryman is not only the best equipped MINI we’ve ever sold, but it’s also the most technologically advanced and most versatile model we’ve ever offered,” said Thomas Felbermair, Vice President MINI of the Americas. “We have seen strong demand for the Countryman since it went on sale back in March and we are thrilled to be able to add the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award to the growing list of reasons why people head to their local dealer and take a test drive.”

The 2017 MINI Countryman is available in Cooper, Cooper ALL4, Cooper S, Cooper S ALL4, Cooper S E ALL4 plugin hybrid electric and John Cooper Works performance variants.

The new MINI Countryman went on sale in March 2017 at MINI dealers across the U.S. with the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid following in June 2017.