While most small cars performed well in the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety's latest crash tests, family cars such as the Mazda 5 or the Fiat 500L and the world's most popular electric car, the Nissan Leaf left a lot to be desired. Ouch!
It seem like small overlap crash tests are the kryptonite of bad car design. Remember what happens to your head in a Mazda CX-9 hitting an oncoming vehicle at 40 mph? Well, its younger sibling is no better:
In short, it's airbags not deploying, doors falling off, moving steering columns that turn airbags into useless balloons and pedals breaking your legs. The good news? The batteries stayed intact in the two electric cars.
I'll let the tests do the talking.
2014 Mazda 5 (small overlap, moderate overlap and side impact):
2014 Hyundai Veloster (small overlap, moderate overlap and side impact):
2014 Nissan Juke (small overlap):
2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid (small overlap, moderate overlap and side impact):
2014 Fiat 500L (small overlap):
2014 Chevrolet Volt (small overlap):
2014 Mini Cooper Countryman (small overlap):
2014 Mitsubishi Lancer (small overlap):
2014 Nissan Leaf (small overlap):
2014 Scion xB (small overlap):
2014 Scion FS-R (small overlap):
Cars performing badly in a small overlap crash test aren't necessary unsafe, but to see what these ratings mean, read IIHS' full small car test report here.