The 2012 Outlander earned the highest score of Good in side-impact and frontal-offset crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It received the second-best score of Acceptable in rear and roof-strength crash tests. The SUV received four stars out of five in rollover crash tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Outlander has standard front-wheel drive, all-disc antilock brakes, an electronic stability system, traction control and six airbags, including side curtains for the first and second rows but not the third. Optional safety features include a backup camera and all-wheel drive.

Two sets of Latch anchors are in the second row and marked by a prominent slit in the upholstery, though they sat so far back that they were difficult to access. My daughter's rear-facing car seat took up a lot of real estate in the second row, and my son's forward-facing convertible — and my son — barely fit in the third row.