As of 2010, compact cars offer safer more safety, better gas mileage and more reliability than the small cars produced at the end of the 1990s. Automakers such as Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and Honda, offer longer warranties and employ more technological advanced safety equipment. However, since small cars are less expensive and more fuel efficient than mid- and full-size models, they may not necessarily have all the safety features available on the larger cars.
Ford Fiesta
The 2011 Ford Fiesta is one of the best fuel-efficient non-hybrid cars on the U.S. market. It earns 29 miles per gallon (mpg) in urban areas and 40 mpg in country driving. Ford places the Fiesta on a compact 98-inch wheelbase, and the car has an overall length of 173.6 inches. It's equipped with seven front, driver's-knee and side-curtain airbags. Ford also built the Fiesta with a safety cage using boron, a metal element used in the aerospace industry. A 120-horsepower 1.6-l four-cylinder engine powers it. Ford offers a standard three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Chevrolet Aveo5
The 2011 Chevrolet Aveo5 is the Ford Fiesta's rival, powered by a 108-horsepower 1.4-l four-cylinder engine. The front brakes are ventilated discs, and the rear features drum brakes. The Aveo5 is equipped with 10 front- and side-impact airbags. The car also has an OnStar system, which activates during a collision to summon emergency help at the car's GPS location. The feature is standard for the first six months after purchasing the car, then available at a charge. The Aveo5 features the standard three-year/36,000-mile warranty, but the powertrain warranty covers five years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The Aveo5 is considerably shorter than the Fiesta at 154.3 inches but has a similar wheelbase at 97.6 inches. The Aveo5 achieves 27 mpg on urban streets and 35 mpg on the open road.
Toyota Yaris
The 2011 Toyota Yaris offers a standard three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain guarantee. The cabin contains driver and front passenger airbags and side and rear-curtain airbags for rear passengers. The car comes equipped with front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones, side-impact door beams and body panels constructed of tensile-strength steel. The three-point seatbelts have locking retractors. The Yaris measures only 150.6 inches long, with a 96.9-inch wheelbase. Its 106-horsepower 1.5-l in-line four-cylinder engine achieves 29/36 mpg.
Honda CR-Z
The 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid also features the base three-year/36,000-mile warranty. Its powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles. It features a 13-horsepower DC brushless electric motor and 100.8-volt nickel metal hydride battery to complement the 122-horsepower 1.5-l in-line four-cylinder internal combustion engine. It sits on a 95.9-inch wheelbase and measures 160.6 inches long. The CR-Z features all-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, electronic braking and antilock braking systems. It also features driver and front passenger and side-curtain airbags, as well as active seat head restraints. It has a fuel efficiency of 35/39 mpg.
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