[ZX3_2NV]

It comes as little surprise that two-door automobiles perform differently when crash tested than their four-door stablemates, particularly in side crashes. Due to the vastly different structural makeup of coupes versus sedans, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has decided to test both two- and four-door versions of automobiles for 2009, and the results aren't always predictable.

For instance, the 2009 Ford Focus Coupe joins Volvo's 2009 C30 as a two-door vehicle that earns the agency's Top Safety Pick rating, yet the four-door Focus scored a lower Acceptable rating in previous IIHS side crash testing. Conversely, the 2009 Honda Civic flips those ratings with the newly-tested coupe garnering an Acceptable side crash score versus the sedan's Top Safety Pick rating.

While the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Scion tC and Volvo C30 all performed fairly well in both frontal and side crash testing, the tC was judged the poorest performer overall and was the only vehicle that failed to earn either a Good or Acceptable rating for rear crash protection. View Gallery