The 2011 Ford Fiesta is the first mini-car to earn a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety since the introduction of a new roof strength test. The award applies to vehicles built after July 2010 since modifications were made to the outside door handles to prevent them from activating in a side-impact crash.

 

Fiesta's extensive use of high-strength steels, Trinity front crash structure, Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE) Architecture and advanced airbag technologies helped the car perform well in IIHS testing. It features the most standard airbags in its segment, as well as standard electronic stability control - a must-have feature for Top Safety Pick eligibility.

 

"Fiesta is proof that a small car can deliver big safety, and earning a Top Safety Pick further demonstrates Ford's commitment to providing all of our customers with world-class crash protection," said Sue Cischke, Ford's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "Fiesta combines rigidity and more airbags - smartly deployed - than its competition, as well as standard stability control."

 

The Fiesta is the eighth Ford Motor Company vehicle to earn the Institute's top designation, breaking a tie with Toyota for the most "Top Safety Picks" of any automaker.