IIHS Small Car Crash Test

Micro cars can give motorists top-notch fuel efficiency at a competitive price, but the insurance industry says they don't fare too well in collisions with larger vehicles.

Photo of the Toyota Yaris from the Institute's 40 mph frontal offset crash with the Camry: There was a lot of intrusion into the occupant compartment. The driver's seat tipped forward, and the steering wheel moved excessively. The head injury measure on the dummy rated poor, and there was extensive force on the neck and right leg plus a deep gash at the right knee.

The Toyota Camry earned an ACCEPTABLE rating in this test; the Yaris earned a POOR rating.

Photo of the Smart from the Institute's 40 mph frontal offset crash with the C class: The space around the driver collapsed during the crash. Multiple injuries, including to the head, would be likely for a real-world driver of a Smart in a similar collision.

The Mercedes-Benz C-class earned a GOOD rating in this test; the Smart earned a POOR rating.

Photo of the Fit from the Institute's 40 mph frontal offset crash with the Accord: There was a lot of intrusion into the occupant compartment, which compromised the survival space around the driver dummy. Measures recorded on the dummy indicate that the risk of serious injury would be high in a similar real-world collision.

The Honda Accord earned a GOOD rating in this test; the Fit earned a POOR rating.

Research New Cars by Category:

• - Convertibles
• - Crossovers
• - Hatchbacks
• - Minivans
• - SUVs
• - Trucks
• - Wagons

List by Bengt Halvorson | AOL Autos