While rapid strides have been made in increasing fuel efficiency thanks to better technology; the basic fact remains, if the car is lighter its more likely to sip on fuel then guzzle it. This has made a lot of motorists move to smaller cars. Unlike the smaller cars of old, the newer ones are packed with gadgetry such as miltiple air bags, crumple zones which look well after the safety of the passengers.

But does it really compare to the security of a couple of tons of steel safeguarding your loved ones?

Despite reductions in fatalities in passengers of smaller cars year on year, its not even near to the safety offered by larger cars. Ratio of passengers who died in smaller cars to bigger cars is nearly 2:1. Automakers say that despite all increases in tech, there is a basic law of physics which holds - the larger and heavier are of course the better ones in terms of safety.

Things though are improving. Today, 14 of the 17 top-selling small cars get good frontal crash test ratings from the IIHS. In 1997, none of the top-selling small cars earned a good rating.

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