In years past, small cars rightfully carried the stigma of being unsafe—they were no match for the larger SUVs on the road in a crash and too inexpensive to have the latest safety gear. But times have changed. The latest small cars are not only fuel efficient, but their structure has improved to provide better impact absorption and occupant protection, and they now are commonly equipped with standard key safety features, such as antilock brakes, side-curtain air bags, and stability control. As a result, many modern small cars are earning high marks in various safety evaluations. Below, we show how the latest small cars stack up.

Back in 2006, only three small cars earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) by being rated a top score of Good in front, side, and rear crash protection. Since then, the list has grown to 21 (including a few small wagons) even as the requirements to achieve the award have been made more stringent. In addition to achieving the top scores in crash tests, now a vehicle must have available electronic stability control and earn top marks in the roof strength test, a tough test established in 2009 to see how well a vehicle would fare in a rollover.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also made changes to their vehicle crash worthiness evaluation for the 2011 model year. Their five-star crash test ratings are also more stringent and now include an overall score, as well as ratings for front, side, and rollover risk. The changes in these crash test standards and methodologies have forced the auto industry to respond by making safer cars.

At Consumer Reports, we evaluate dynamic safety by testing vehicles in our accident avoidance maneuver and braking to assess how vehicles would perform in an emergency situation. (See how we test cars.)

Below is a list of small cars for the 2011 model year that have been tested by Consumer Reports and have earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick award. We also include the overall fuel economy in our tests for the automatic versions of the vehicles, if available.

A few notes--the Nissan Sentra and Versa were both tested by all three organizations, but they did not earn the IIHS top award. We are are currently testing the Chevrolet Volt, which earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick and five-star in NHTSA overall score, and will report our findings soon.

Model	NHTSA overall score	IIHS	CR's accident avoidance	CR's braking score	CR's overall MPG
Chevrolet Cruze	5 stars	Top Safety Pick			26
Ford Fiesta	4 stars	Top Safety Pick			33
Hyundai Elantra	NA	Top Safety Pick			29
Kia Forte	4 stars	Top Safety Pick			28
Kia Soul	4 stars	Top Safety Pick			25
Mazda3 sedan	4 stars	Top Safety Pick			28
Mitsubishi Lancer	NA	Top Safety Pick			25
Nissan Cube	NA	Top Safety Pick			28
Nissan Juke	NA	Top Safety Pick			24
Scion xB	NA	Top Safety Pick			23
Scion tC	5 stars	Top Safety Pick			28
Subaru Impreza sedan	NA	Top Safety Pick			24
Toyota Corolla	3 stars	Top Safety Pick			32
Toyota Prius	5 stars	Top Safety Pick			44
Volkswagen Golf	NA	Top Safety Pick			24
Volkswagen GTI	NA	Top Safety Pick			27
Volkswagen Jetta	4 stars	Top Safety Pick			25

When looking for a new car, it’s best to consider all crash tests, as the differing methodologies give a look at different crash scenarios. (See Crash test 101 for more information on the tests and how they are conducted.) Also, note that NHTSA, IIHS as well as Consumer Reports tests are ongoing, so the 2011 list will likely grow before the end of the year with more safe, fuel-efficient models to choose from. We currently own and are testing a number of small 2012 models including the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Hyundai Accent.

Related:
2011 car safety features
Fuel economy guide
New car selector
Six of 13 small, fuel-efficient cars earn IIHS Top Safety Pick award