Fuel economy, styling and long-term reliability are all huge factors to consider when you’re in the market for a new car. But above all, safety still reigns supreme as technology like forward-collision alerts, automatic braking systems and blind-spot monitors advance and become increasingly mainstream.
The U.S.-based Insurance Institute of Highway Safety is the predominant driving force behind crash testing, subjecting pretty much any and every car through extensive testing procedures. The latest test, for instance, is known as the small-overlap test, which simulates some of the most common collisions on the road.
To qualify for Top Safety Pick honours, a car must score a rating of ‘acceptable’ or better in all IIHS tests, including the small overlap. It doesn’t end there; the crème de la crème of IIHS awards is the Top Safety Pick+, a title given to cars that ace each evaluation and offer some sort of forward collision warning system.
On that note, here are the eight compact cars that scored top honours in the IIHS’ rounds of testing:
When the Dodge Dart hit the market last year, it was one of the first Chryslers on North American soil with Italian underpinnings underneath. Based on the exceptionally attractive Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the Dart quite a looker and is powered by your choice of three engines, including either a 2.0 or a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder. If normally-aspirated engines aren’t your thing, the Dart is also available with the 1.4-litre, 160-horsepower turbo-four from the attitude-filled Fiat 500 Abarth.
Small overlap: Average
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick
When the redesigned Ford Focus hit the market, it was one of Ford’s first globally-offered cars. That move paid dividends to the Focus we can snatch up in North America, bringing fresh styling, fantastic handling and a boatload of standard equipment and technology to the compact segment. Not to mention, the worldwide Focus means we now get the 252-horsepower, six-speed manual Focus ST.
Small overlap: Average
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick
There’s a reason why the Honda Civic is one of Canada’s best-selling cars. It’s affordable, it’s reliable and it actually has a smidgen of sportiness. For 2014, a CVT replaces the Civic’s five-speed automatic, while a bit more equipment is offered, including Honda’s LaneWatch side-view camera first seen on the redesigned Accord. The Civic is among the three compact cars to earn a Top Safety Pick+ accolade from the IIHS, but there’s a catch. You only get the Top Safety Pick+ award on the Civic Hybrid, which includes a forward-collision warning system on its spec sheet. The rest of the Civic lineup, including the coupe, makes do with the Top Safety Pick award … not like that’s a bad thing.
Small overlap: Good
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick (coupe and sedan); Top Safety Pick+ (Civic Hybrid)
When we first met the latest Elantra, we were smitten by its styling and it’s exceptionally long scroll of standard equipment, including features limited to more premium vehicles. Hyundai does things a little differently with the Elantra as well; it’s one of the few cars in the compact segment to offer a sedan, a hatchback and a coupe.
Small overlap: Average
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick
The redesigned Mazda3 is the jack of all trades in the compact segment. It has been a hit ever since Mazda unveiled it earlier this year, and for a good reason: Its styling, interior quality, efficient SkyActiv engines and driving dynamics place it near the top of the compact segment. And because the Mazda3 can be had with a forward-collision warning system, it scores a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.
Small overlap: Good
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick+
Remember the coupe Scion offers in its lineup? No, it’s not the hot-selling, rear-wheel-drive FR-S. It’s the tC, complete with a fresh new face for 2014. Standard on the tC is a normally-aspirated, 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine good for 179 horsepower that can be paired to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
Small overlap: Average
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick
Subaru is known for its quirks, but recently, much of its lineup tends to stray towards the mainstream. Things haven’t changed much for the Impreza since it was redesigned in 2012; it’s still powered by a 2.0-litre Boxer engine, it’s still all-wheel-drive and it’s still a safe bet (haw-haw, get it?) in the compact segment. The impreza scored a rating of ‘good’ on each of the IIHS’ evaluations, but the only thing holding it back from the TSP+ award the lack of a forward-collision warning system.
Small overlap: Good
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick
In the decade-plus it has been on the market, Toyota managed to sell 3 million of Prius hybrid, proving fuel economy and doing nice things for the environment is crucial. Needless to say, it’s a breath of fresh air Toyota CEO Akido Toyoda says he wants more “heart-racing” looks when the next generation silently rolls around. What’s also a breath of fresh air is the Prius’ knack for safety. Prius models built after November 2013 benefit from increased structural rigidity and a set of alloy wheels that collapse better in the event of a collision and scored a TSP+ rating thanks to the available forward-collsion warning system.
Small overlap: Average
Moderate front-overlap: Good
Side impact: Good
Roof strength: Good
Overall: Top Safety Pick+
