Proving that good fuel economy and safety are not mutually exclusive, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given its “top safety pick” to the Honda Insight , Toyota Prius and Kia Soul . The honor means all three vehicles received the IIHS’ top rating of “good” in front, side and rear impact tests.
All three vehicles have already seen strong sales success, with the latest safety ratings from the IIHS promising to give sales an extra boost.
“The latest results show that consumers who want good fuel economy can also get a high level of safety,” Russ Rader, an institute spokesman, told Automotive News. “Because there are so many small cars that test well, there’s no reason to settle for a small car with less-than-stellar safety ratings.”
However, Rader warns that small cars are inherently less safe than large cars, adding: “The laws of physics still apply.”
Of the 27 small cars the IIHS has tested, only 10 have earned a top safety pick – including the 2009 Honda Civic and 2010 Toyota Corolla .
