Compact cars used to be the vehicles you bought when you couldn’t afford anything nicer. Today, many new car buyers prefer them thanks to their superior fuel economy and the fact that they can be equipped with the same luxury features found in larger vehicles. Also, thanks to their small size and nimble nature, most compact cars are really fun to drive.
But there is always a niggling concern in the back of any compact car shopper’s mind that maybe a compact car just isn’t safe to drive on our truck-, SUV- and Big Rig-clogged highways and city streets. Not to besmirch the character of married women of a certain age, but that notion qualifies as a classic “old wives tale.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performs crash tests on new vehicles and their methods of testing are a little different than those of the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). The IIHS has a more difficult to pass head-on collision test because the vehicle doesn’t just crash into a wall head on but instead hits an offset barrier.
This means only half of the front end of the car hits the barrier and this amplifies the collision forces sent through the body considerably. The IIHS also has found that most collisions happen in that manner with only part of the front of a vehicle absorbing the impact. Thereby, in my opinion, their testing tells you a little bit more about how safe your compact car will be in the real world.
The IIHS also tests side and rear impacts as well as performing a rollover test to judge roof strength. In addition, they also test the headrests in the vehicle to ensure they offer proper whiplash protection in case a person is rear-ended.
So, in order to earn a “Top Safety Pick” award from the IIHS, a compact car must get the top “good” score in each category and have standard ESC (Electronic Stability Control). It’s smart that the IIHS is trying to encourage car companies to make ESC standard as this feature helps drivers avoid accidents. Here are the 2010 compact cars that earned a “Top Safety Pick” from the IIHS.
2010 Honda Civic 4-Door (Models with ESC)
In order to get stability control with your Civic, you have to get the EX-L model variant with leather or option up navigation. The Si (for some reason) is not considered a “Top Safety Pick” and neither are the two door coupes. Often, two door vehicles do not score as highly in side impacts as four door vehicles.
All Honda Civics do, however, come with six airbags, anti-lock brakes and the class leading ACE safety cell system. ACE is designed so that a Civic will perform identically should you hit a lifted truck, SUV or tree. In case of pedestrian collision the hood also pops up and the windshield wipers easily break away to cut down the risk of head trauma. Overall, the Civic is a very safe car that just needs ESC made standard across the line.
2010 Kia Forte
Make sure your 2010 Forte was built after October 2009 because apparently the side impact airbags did not offer sufficient protection to secure a “Good” rating. But Kia went back, fixed the problem and got a “Top Safety Pick” score after a second test. The vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and a label in the door should give you an idea of when your Forte was built.
2010 Kia Soul
It is an odd mystery why every compact car that looks like a box on wheels (a very stylish one in the case of this Kia) does so well in crash tests. Kudos to Kia’s engineering team for getting two vehicles on this list.
2010 Scion Xb
I guess boxes aren’t just for packing up your house before a move anymore. It looks like the boxy compact car revolution is here to stay and in addition to their ridiculous level of utility they are also very safe.
2010 Nissan Cube
This adorably asymmetrical box on wheels polarizes opinion but positively screams, “Look at me!” The Cube definitely makes a style statement but thankfully it has some substance to back this up.
2010 Subaru Impreza
If you need an all-wheel drive vehicle and you want it to be safe always buy a Subaru. This brand and Acura are some of the few that have had all of their vehicles named as “Top Safety Picks.
2010 Toyota Corolla
Boring as burnt wheat toast but apparently the 2010 Toyota Corolla is very safe. All kidding aside about the exterior styling which has about as much personality as Ryan Seacrest, the Corolla has always been an affordable and reliable means of transport the never promised driving thrills. And the 2010 model continues that trend.
2010 VW Golf (4-door)
Another example of a two-door vehicle not doing as well in a side impact crash test and perhaps that is part of the reason why VW charges so much more for the four-door 2010 Golf. Either way you get a classically handsome hatchback with what is easily the nicest interior in its class. It’s also fun to drive and is available with a highly economical TDI diesel engine.
2010 VW Jetta
Okay, this isn’t a surprise. It’s a Golf with a trunk. The 2010 Jetta may still be based on the last generation Rabbit platform but it performs perfectly in crash tests. The 2010 Jetta did, however, receive the same updated dashboard from the Golf that makes the interior look like a million bucks.
2010 Volvo C30
This is the coolest looking Volvo in recent memory yet no one seems to buy them. This three door hatchback is stylish and, in the usual Volvo way, perfectly safe. It’s like a Mini Cooper that’s not really fun to drive. Oh, wait. Maybe that’s why they aren’t selling.
Source: www.iihs.org
