New Crop of Subcompacts Crash-Tested: Nissan Versa Wins, Most Others Lose

Today, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its first study of the new crop of “mini cars” like the Chevy Aveo and Toyota Yaris. Its findings are quite damning for many of the models and the organization prefaces the entire study with the fact that overall crashes involving mini cars are twice as likely to result in death compared to midsize and large cars. This surely falls in line with the laws of physics, but it’s still jarring to read.

The IIHS tested six new mini cars and the Nissan Versa — somewhat larger but often considered in shopping comparisons, including Cars.com’s. Only the larger Versa received the IIHS’s highest ratings in all three crash tests. Two other cars — the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit with optional and standard side airbags respectively —  received the top grade of good in front and side crash tests, with the Yaris rating a marginal score and the Fit a poor score in the rear crash test ratings. The Yaris without optional side airbags — a $650 option — received the worst side impact rating of poor.

The Chevy Aveo with standard side airbags, the soon to be discontinued Scion xB with no side airbags available and the Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio with standard side airbags all received poor side crash test results.

The IIHS’s tests are so important that before this study’s release, Honda issued a fix to the Fit’s front airbag and recalled any cars on the road so it would receive the top rating in frontal tests.

Most car buyers should know that the smaller a car is, the less safe it is statistically. However, the Versa, Fit and Yaris — when equipped with side airbags — are now much easier to recommend. The Honda Fit was also chosen as Cars.com’s Best Deal for First-Time Drivers.

Full test results can be found at the IIHS’s website.