Stability control kicks in when a vehicle begins to slide, and it brings the vehicle back under control. To give you an idea of how the system works if a car begins to slide sideways, it applies a brake to one wheel which causes a rotation in the opposite direction, bringing the car back under control. With its improved performance, Consumer Reports now recommends the Toyota Land Cruiser. Other automakers, such as BMW and Mercedes, have made stability control standard on all their SUVs. Consumer Reports says that's something every manufacturer should do.
Stability control can help any vehicle.
But, it's especially important on SUVs because it'll help prevent the vehicle getting into a situation where it may rollover. Automakers have different names for it. On Cadillacs it's called StabiliTrak, and Mercedes refers to it as the electronic stability program. Consumer Reports says to be sure you're getting this feature, ask if the vehicle has an electronic system that can brake individual wheels if you start sliding.