Earning a "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is no small task. To carry the prestigious title, a vehicle must not only excel at the front, side, rollover and rear-impact tests that the non-profit group subjects all vehicles to, but also must offer electronic stability control as at least an optional feature. That said, the 2012 Hyundai Azera had little trouble earning the award.

And why's that? Aside from…