Small Car Safety Improves

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Courtesy: Hyundai Kia Automotive Co.

Hyundai Elantra

Front impact: Good
Side impact: Marginal
Whiplash protection: Acceptable
ESC: Optional

South Korea's Hyundai was one of the first automakers competing in the U.S. to make ESC standard equipment on its vehicles. Now, federal regulations require all passenger vehicles to be equipped with ESC by the 2012 model year.

The Elentra received the second-worst rating of Marginal for side impact. "Of course, Hyundai would prefer to have received the highest IIHS rating, but we are very confident that the Elantra performs very safely for owners, drivers and passengers," the carmaker said in a statement.

Courtesy: General Motors

Saturn Astra

Front impact: Good
Side impact: Marginal
Whiplash protection: Acceptable
ESC: Optional

Sold in Europe as the Opel Astra, the Belgian-built Saturn Astra was intended as a replacement for the Saturn Ion compact car.

The Astra has "Active head restraints" that move forward to catch the head and prevent whiplash in the event of a rear-end hit.

Whiplash protection was ultimately rated as "Acceptable," the second-best rating after "Good."

Despite a "Marginal" rating for side impact safety, a General Motors spokeswoman expressed confidence in the Astra's real-world safety based on the carmaker's own extensive testing.

Two-door versions have electronic stability control as standard equipment. GM's OnStar service, which can automatically summon help after a crash using a system built into the car, is also available.

Courtesy: Chrysler LLC

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Front impact: Good
Side impact: Poor
Whiplash protection: Poor
ESC: Not available

In the IIHS's side-crash test of the PT Cruiser, impact forces measured on the test dummies indicated a likelihood of serious injuries in real people.

The PT Cruiser doesn't have backseat side airbags and it's also the only car in this group on which electronic stability control is not available.

Chrysler LLC points out that the PT Cruiser got good marks in government crash tests, saying in a corporate statement that "No single test can determine a vehicle's overall safety performance."

Courtesy: BMW

Mini Cooper

Front impact: Good
Side impact: Acceptable
Whiplash protection: Good
ESC: Standard on 2009 models.

The Mini Cooper is smaller than any of these other cars. It falls into the Insurance Institute's category of "Mini cars," which are smaller than "Small cars."

Nevertheless, the Mini Cooper, performed better in these crash tests than some of the larger models.

Top Safety Picks

In earlier crash tests, these small cars won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award.

Honda Civic (four-door models with ESC)

Mitsubishi Lancer (with ESC)

Scion xB

Subaru Impreza

Toyota Corolla (with ESC)

Volkswagen Rabbit (4-door models)

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