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Minicars Perform Poorly in Crash Tests, IIHS Study Says


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Size Counts When You're Not Having Fun!

Washington DC April 14, 2009; The AIADA newsletter reported that in recent tests, several minicars made by Toyota, Honda, and Daimler AG did poorly on frontal crash tests with mid-sized automobiles, prompting an influential safety organization to suggest consumers consider buying larger cars that have comparable fuel economy.

Automotive News reports that in a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and Smart ForTwo all collapsed upon impact into the space around the driver dummy.

The group recommended consumers consider slightly larger vehicles that will better protect passengers during impact, citing the VW Jetta diesel and the Toyota Camry hybrid for their safety records and comparable gas mileage.

The Jetta diesel gets 29 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway, while the Camry hybrid gets 33 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway, comparing favorably with the Yaris which boasts 29 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway, as well as the Fit, which gets 28 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway.