New Crash Tests Show Great Safety Strides For Small Cars

by Jeff Gilbert
WWJ AutoBeat Reporter

WASHINGTON (WWJ) New crash tests show that it is possible to get safety and fuel economy in the same package.

The latest round of testing from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives 22 cars the "Top Safety Pick" designation, meaning they scored well on all crash tests, and have stability control.

Five years ago, only three small vehicles were "Top Safety Picks."

"We are improving safety across the fleet, and that includes new small cars," says David Zuby, the institute's Chief Safety Officer.

The latest vehicles to be added to the list of "Top Safety Picks," are the Ford Focus, Honda Civic 4-door, Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h, Nissan Juke and Toyota Prius.

Zuby singled out the Elantra for special praise, given the improvement from the previous version, which did not do well on the side crash test, and didn't have stability control.

"The Elantra has gone from one of our lowest rated small cars to a TOP SAFETY PICK, and ESC is now a standard feature," says Zuby. "The big things the automakers have done to improve crashworthiness are designing better front crush zones to manage crash energy, stronger occupant compartments to limit intrusion, and stronger roofs to better protect people in rollovers."

The institute, however, points out that small cars are compared with other small cars, and—generally speaking—larger vehicles are still safer.  However, Zuby says today's small car is as safe as a mid size car a decade ago.

None of the small cars tested in the latest round had a poor performance…but the Honda CR-Z and Insight, Nissan Sentra, Scion xD and Suzuki SX4 did not get "good" ratings in all of their crash tests, denying those vehicles a "Top Safety Pick" designation.

The Insurance Institute also released a list of "Top Safety Picks" that also get a highway fuel economy of more than forty miles per gallon.

Small cars
Chevrolet Cruze Eco, 42 mpg
Ford Focus SFE, 40 mpg
Honda Civic HF 41 mpg; hybrid, 44 mpg
Hyundai Elantra, 40 mpg
Lexus CT 200h, 40 mpg
Toyota Prius, 48 mpg
Volkswagen Golf TDI, 42 mpg

Minicar
Ford Fiesta SFE, 40 mpg

Plug-in electrics
Chevrolet Volt, 90 mpg equivalent

Detailed crash test information is available at http://www.iihs.org/.