2011 Ford Fiesta earns Top Safety Pick award

SEE ALSO: IIHS 2011 Ford Fiesta Crash Rating Details

The Ford Fiesta sedan/hatchback is the first minicar to earn the Top Safety Pick award since the Institute added a roof strength requirement for rollover protection. The Fiesta is recognized as a Top Safety Pick after earning good ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection, and for having electronic stability control as standard equipment. No other minicar the Institute has tested has earned top ratings in all four safety evaluations.

The Fiesta is the eighth Ford model to earn the Institute's top designation. The others are Ford Fusion/Lincoln MKZ/Mercury Milan, Ford Taurus/Lincoln MKS, and Ford Flex/Lincoln MKT.

The Fiesta's award applies to cars built after July 2010 because Ford made design changes to strengthen the outside door handles to minimize the possibility of doors opening in side impact crashes.