A group of 11 minicars did the worst of any class of vehicles tested so far in the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s newest and toughest trial, the small-overlap front crash test.
Of the 11 minicars tested, none achieved the institute’s highest rating of Good. Only one – the Chevrolet Spark – achieved the next highest rating of Acceptable. The others received ratings of either Marginal or Poor, the lowest rating. The two worst-performing vehicles were the Honda Fit and the Fiat 500, although a completely redesigned Fit goes on sale this spring.
To date, the insurance institute has tested small cars, midsize cars, midsize luxury sedans, compact crossovers and S.U.V.'s. The organization, which is financed by the insurance industry, noted that cars in its “small” category, which are just a little bit bigger than the minicars, achieved much better scores.
