Smart’s Fortwo minicar received top marks in a U.S. government side-impact crash test, despite the car’s driver-side door opening during the simulation.

The Fortwo scored five out of five stars for side impact crashes, while earning four stars for drivers and three starts for passengers during head-on impacts. While the problem of the opening door wasn’t enough to mar the perfect rating for Smart, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did note, “A door opening during a side impact crash increases the likelihood of occupant ejection.”

Smart has been selling the Fortwo about as fast as they can bring them into the country, with the American public seeming more and more receptive to small, fuel efficient vehicles. Roger Penske of the Penske Automotive Group recently said that he could sell as many as 15,000 more units than the 25,000 Fortwos he has been allocated for this year.

read full blog news.windingroad.com