Iihs Test Results what are the Safest Small Cars in 2013
Some news outlets proclaim that the economy is moving in the right direction. Housing starts are up, and more people are getting back to work. Well, the oil industry must not be getting the memos. Pull into the local gas station, and one is liable to find prices close to four dollars for a gallon of gas. This has affected the frequency with which people make trips out of their home.
Along these lines, many drivers are turning away from the flashy vehicles or SUVs now. Instead, they are looking for more economical cars, ones which get a lot more bang for the buck at the pump. That can mean anything from gas powered, hybrid, or electric. One thing it definitely leads to is a downsizing of cars. Most cars that show good fuel economy are on the small size. Do those dimensions cause more safety issues?
One would think there would be some issues. After all, there is not as much engine and steel between the driver and another car. Look at a car like the Mini Cooper, and it is a wonder that anyone could survive a wreck in such a tiny box of a car. Well, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) luckily tests all types of vehicles, and issues safety ratings for them. Recently, their 2013 ratings for small cars were published.
Parents often look at small cars as something for their student to drive. If they go this route, they should look no further than the Honda Civic.The Washington Post Cars sectiongave the Civic its top, or “Good," rating. Both the Civic Coupe and Civic Sedan models got this top rating, which they attribute to some changes they made in the design. According to areview in The Car Connection, it was the second-generation ACE body structure, called ACE II, which helped to put it over the top.
That top rating is a big deal because it comes with the moniker of IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus. The Civic is the first small car to be able to claim think ranking. Of course, the Civic was not the only car to score well. An old favorite of the 70s managed to climb the charts in its newest form. The Dodge Dart, which was a sturdy metal box back in the day, came in with a second best rating, which the IIHS calls Acceptable. Three other cars got the acceptable rating as well, including the Hyundai Elantra, the 2014 Scion tC, and the Ford Focus. This is important because it allows these vehicles to also the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus designation.
Not all car manufacturers were lucky enough to score a good rating. Chevy produced two models that fell below the acceptable standard of the IIHS. The Chevy Cruze and Sonic both came in low, with concerns about its reactions under accident pressure. They were not the lowest finishers in the study. The Volkswagen Beetle also took it on the chin, with the Nissan Sentra being the third worst model in safety testing.
The bottom two spots were reserved for two Kia Models. The Kia Soul and Kia Forte bottomed out the list, with the Forte getting the sad distinction of having the worst rating of all cars tested. The Forte hit rock bottom for a variety of factors. According to aWashington Post piece, it was for, “concerning results for Structure, Restraints and Kinematics, and Hip and Thigh forces—indicating a high likelihood of injury in that latter category. All three of those lowest-rated models also had injury concern in the Lower Leg and Foot areas."
The sad part is that the 2014 Kia Forte, which was the model tested, had been redesigned this year. Obviously, the design was not for safety reasons. It shows that cars that are easier on the wallet are not always the best choice for those that value safety.
