The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety routinely tests batches of vehicles to determine its "Top Safety Picks," an award that's been coveted by the automotive industry in the past. The group recently took a look at 13 small cars and crossovers, and found that six were worthy of the prestigious title.

Of the cars tested, only the Ford Focus, Toyota Prius, Nissan Juke, Lexus CT200h, Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic were able to perform well enough to receive the award. The IIHS maintains that all vehicles must earn the highest rating of "good" on front, side, rear and rollover tests to qualify.

This tough requirement can lead to disappointment for some brands, as the Honda Insight and CR-Z found out in this round of testing. Both cars earned good ratings on all tests except the rollover, where they were merely "acceptable." Similarly, the Scion xD had three good tests, save for an "acceptable" front impact crash.

Other models, such as the Suzuki SX4 and Dodge Caliber, did not fare as well, with multiple tests deemed merely "acceptable" and even a few "marginal" thrown in.

If you're in the market for a safe and reliable vehicle that won't break the bank, check out New Jersey State Auto Auction. They have many "Top Safety Picks" of past and present available at reasonable prices.