The Chevrolet Spark was the only minicar out of 11 tested toearn an “acceptable” rating in the Insurance Institute for HighwaySafety's small overlap front-crash test, which was introduced in2012.

The test simulates what happens when the front corner of a car collideswith another vehicle or a stationary object such as a tree—25percent of a car's front end on the driver side strikes afive-foot-tall rigid barrier at 40 mph. The small overlap test isnow part of IIHS' basic battery of tests.

The IIHS explains, “The test is more difficult than the head-oncrashes conducted by the government or the longstanding IIHSmoderate overlap test because most of the vehicle's front-end crushzone is bypassed. That makes it hard for the vehicle to managecrash energy, and the occupant compartment can collapse as aresult.

“Nevertheless, in many size categories, manufacturers have foundways to improve vehicle structures to meet this challenge.”

In the most recent minicar front overlap test, the Honda Fit,Fiat 500, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Prius c, Nissan Versa sedan and2014 Mitsubishi Mirage all received “poor” overall ratings.

The 2014 Ford Fiesta (built after August 2013), Toyota Yaris,Kia Rio and Mazda 2 received “marginal” overall ratings.

The Spark, which received an “acceptable” overall rating,received “good” ratings on all dummy injury measures, “acceptable”on restraints and kinematics, and “marginal” onstructure.

No minicar earned a rating above “marginal” on structure, whichthe IIHS calls “the most fundamental element of occupantprotection.”

The IIHS says, “The Chevrolet Spark's 'acceptable' rating in thetest, along with good ratings in the Institute's four othercrashworthiness evaluations, earns the new minicar a 2014 TopSafety Pick award.”

The IIHS says all of the minicars except the Spark and the Mazda2 earned low ratings for restraints and kinematics. “Seven of theeleven were downgraded for allowing too much occupant forwardmotion during the crash,” says the IIHS. “In these cases, eitherthe safety belt didn't do a good enough job holding the dummy inplace, or the dummy's head missed or slid off the frontalairbag.”

The two worst performers are the Honda Fit and the Fiat 500,says the IIHS. “In both cases, intruding structure seriouslycompromised the driver's space, and the steering column was pushedback toward the driver. In the case of the Fit, the dummy's headbarely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off and hittingthe instrument panel. During the test of the 500, the driver dooropened after the hinges tore. An open door creates a risk that thedriver could be partially or completely ejected.”