Small Cars With Top Safety Ratings
For those wanting to buy a small car - especially to save money on fuel costs, safety can be a major concern.
Now there's good news - the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named six small cars, including two hybrids, for the Top Safety Pick designation.
The vehicles are:
- 2012 Ford Focus
- 2012 Honda Civic
- 2011 Hyundai Elantra
- 2011 Lexus CT 200h hybrid
- 2011 Nissan Juke
- 2011 Toyota Prius
Criteria to win include top ratings of Good in front, side, rear and roof-strength crash tests. The vehicle must also have electronic stability control.
Frontal crash-worthiness is based on a 40 MPH frontal-offset crash test.
Side evaluation is based on a vehicle being struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph.
Seat and head restraints are tested using a dummy that measures forces on the neck, simulating a collision in the rear at 20 mph.
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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