Safety and SUVs are not necessarily contradictions in terms, especially when it comes to rollover risks. The simple law of physics, of course, dictates that the higher your center of gravity, the greater the lateral force that causes SUV and trucks to roll over. But the new 2008 Porsche Cayenne, one of the supposed safer SUVs compared to U.S. models now offers a stability control system that adjusts the chassis as the vehicle goes around curves, so that it remains in a horizontal position.
The question is, though, how stable is it? I did feel more in control when humming around curves in the Cayenne I tested, but I wonder how much of the effect was psychological. I did not dare slam on the breaks, for example, when rounding a bend at 80 mph. But who decides how safe it really is? I spoke to Consumer Reports, and the spokesman I talked to didn't know--and they don't plan on testing the Cayenne in the near future.
What would be the ultimate source to check an SUV's rollover factor? Afer all, we are talking about a potentially fatal risk? So far, I haven't found anything from the NHTSA, either.
