Photo: Chevrolet
The 2014 Chevrolet Spark was the only minicar to earn the 2014 To Safety Pick award in the recent minicar crash test marathon conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Although the agency tested no less than 11 minicars, the Spark was the only vehicle to earn the Top Safety Pick award, with the rest of the batch failing to obtain more than a "Marginal" score in the tough small overlap crash test.
The Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius C, Hyundai Accent, Fiat 500 and Honda Fit were the worst performers, scoring "Poor" rating in the aforementioned test. The Mazda2, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris and the Ford Fiesta had to settle for "Marginal" scores. The Chevrolet Spark earned an "Acceptable" rating, which is second to IIHS' top score.
"Small, lightweight vehicles have an inherent safety disadvantage. That's why it's even more important to choose one with the best occupant protection," said Joe Nolan, IIHS' senior VP for vehicle research. "Unfortunately, as a group, minicars aren't performing as well as other vehicle categories in the small overlap crash."
The Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius C, Hyundai Accent, Fiat 500 and Honda Fit were the worst performers, scoring "Poor" rating in the aforementioned test. The Mazda2, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris and the Ford Fiesta had to settle for "Marginal" scores. The Chevrolet Spark earned an "Acceptable" rating, which is second to IIHS' top score.
"Small, lightweight vehicles have an inherent safety disadvantage. That's why it's even more important to choose one with the best occupant protection," said Joe Nolan, IIHS' senior VP for vehicle research. "Unfortunately, as a group, minicars aren't performing as well as other vehicle categories in the small overlap crash."
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