Minicars are rising in popularity, but they may not offer much protection in a traffic accident. Among 11 subcompacts tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, not a single one received the highest rating of “good.”

KABC in Los Angeles recently reported on how the small cars fared in the institute’s annual  vehicle safety ratings. Only one minicar, the Chevrolet Spark, received a 2014 Top Safety Pick award.

Overlap Front Crash Test

Eleven minicars from the 2013 and 2014 model years were tested. The tests included a small overlap front crash test, in which one-quarter of the car’s front end collides with a rigid barrier on the driver’s side while traveling 40 mph. Because the impact is off-center, the structural elements of the vehicle are compromised and often rendered useless.

The Chevrolet Spark rated “acceptable” in the overlap frontal protection test. Six of the other vehicles received the lowest rating of “poor,” including the bestselling subcompact Nissan Versa.

Several of the mini cars’ front end structures collapsed during the crash tests. The occupant compartment within the vehicle is sacrificed when this happens, and airbags, seats, and other protective equipment can get knocked out of place.

The Fiat 500 failed when its steering column pushed so far in that the crash dummy’s head came over the top of the airbag and hit the instrument panel on the dash. Also, the force of the impact ripped all of the door hinges off the vehicle, leaving the interior exposed. The Fiat 500 and Honda Fit performed worst of all minicars tested.

The Kia Rio, Mazda2, Toyota Yaris, and Ford Fiesta were among those receiving “marginal” ratings, while the Fiat 500, Honda Fit, Versa, Toyota Prius C, Hyundai Accent, and the Mitsubishi Mirage all rated “poor,” the lowest rating.

Top Safety Picks

Fortunately, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found a number of safe cars among larger auto categories.

Top Safety Picks are chosen for their performance in crash tests. Among those deemed worthy were:

• Ford Focus
• Honda Civic-2 door
• Kia Optima
• Nissan Altima
• Volkswagen Passat
• Acura TL
• Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

A new classification of Top Safety Pick+ included cars that can aid in accident prevention, with features like optional front crash systems like warning signals and automatic braking. Those included:

• Honda Civic-4 door
• Toyota Prius (built after November 2013)
• Ford Fusion
• Mazda 6
• Honda Accord (2- and 4-door)
• Infiniti Q50
• Volvo S60
• Honda Odyssey