Safety ratings of small cars are thoroughly evaluated by organizations like the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), providing clear benchmarks for buyers. Many small cars earn top marks, with the Toyota Corolla, for example, consistently receiving IIHS Top Safety Pick+ honors, thanks to its strong crashworthiness, standard automatic emergency braking, and excellent headlights—key factors in safety ratings of small cars. The Honda Civic also boasts impressive safety ratings, with NHTSA awarding it a 5-star overall rating and IIHS recognizing it as a Top Safety Pick, highlighting its robust structure and advanced driver-assistance systems like lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. The Subaru Impreza stands out among small cars with its standard all-wheel drive, which contributes to its strong safety ratings, along with Subaru’s EyeSight system that includes automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning, earning it high scores in crash tests. The Hyundai Elantra is another small car with solid safety ratings, featuring a reinforced body structure and a suite of safety tech that includes rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring, which help prevent accidents in daily driving. It’s important to note that safety ratings of small cars can vary by trim level—base models may lack some advanced features, so checking ratings for specific configurations is key. Overall, modern small cars have made significant strides in safety, with many matching or exceeding the safety ratings of larger vehicles, proving that size doesn’t have to compromise protection.