After many vehicles posted consisted four- or five-star ratings under safety tests issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the agency revised its tests to become much more stringent, resulting in a drop-off for a number of popular vehicles.

The group is slowly making their way through batches of vehicles, and the latest tests exposed the safety flaws in one top-selling model: the Honda Civic. The Civic scored a two out of five in the side crash test and went home with an overall score of 3, a significant difference from the car's once 5-star reputation.

Honda is no slouch when it comes to safety, as the company's Accord has been the only model thus far to crack the new tests, earning a five in the rollover, side crash and frontal crash tests for a perfect score. Most cars receive a three- or four-star overall rating.

The other cars tested were the Nissan Sentra, Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain. The Terrain and Equinox received five stars in side crashes and fours in the other two categories. The Sentra got a four in the rollover, but could only manage threes in the front and side crash tests.

Drivers should consider safety ratings when shopping for new or used vehicles.

For many families, one vehicle is simply not enough to handle all of the tasks that the various members will need a car for. That's why many families choose to purchase multiple vehicles, so as to ease the load on the family car.

When a family hits the dealership, they'll have a wide variety of cars for sale to choose from. One thing that buyers want to keep in mind is the concept of pairing their vehicles to accomplish different tasks. If there's already a minivan in the garage, an SUV or crossover might be a bit redundant. Conversely, if dad already has a Ford Mustang, mom won't likely be looking at a Chevrolet Camaro.

MSN Autos recently gave some suggestions for families looking for two vehicles that compliment each other nicely. Most follow the "small car-big car" formula, which should allow drivers the flexibility to haul cargo and kids while also maintaining an everyday vehicle for less-intense tasks.

In terms of an affordable pairing, the news source recommends the Scion tC from Toyota paired with the Kia Sportage from Hyundai. When bought new, these two vehicles retail in the $18,000 range, but those shopping the used car market can likely get the pair for under $30,000 – the price of many upscale vehicles.

The Sportage serves as a great family hauler, with plenty of room for seating and cargo. Meanwhile, the tC is an affordable option for drivers who don't want to sacrifice performance, packing 180 horsepower under a sleek coupe-inspired frame.

Another pairing is titled "The Odd Couple" by the news source. The Mini Cooper from BMW is an extremely fuel-efficient and fun city vehicle that can produce some serious horsepower with the right performance package, but drivers may worry about their ability to handle more than two people. By opting for a Chevrolet Suburban, those fears will be out the window. With seating for up to 9, the Suburban is more than three times the size of a Mini Cooper, according to the news source. An odd couple, indeed.

What about for families that are trying to go green? Purchasing a big family vehicle may seem contradictory to that philosophy, but recent offerings like the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid are smart alternatives to the gas-consuming models of yesteryear. Additionally, purchasing one of these vehicles will allow the family to use a compact electric car, like the new Chevrolet Volt or Nissan Leaf, without worry. Families won't have to stress about battery range if they use the SUV for road trips and the EV as a secondary car for shorter excurisions.

Another thing that families should keep in mind is that it will be significantly easier to purchase two vehicles if they shop used auto dealers. It might be more efficient for a family to purchase two cheap used vehicles rather than an expensive new one.
 

Chevrolet has announced that its Aveo subcompact will be renamed as the Sonic, after confusion about how to pronounce the small car's unorthodox name.

Although General Motors refers to the 2012 Sonic as a "new car," there has been no indication that next year's model will get anything more than a minor styling facelift to accompany the new name.

"The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name," said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet U.S. Marketing. "The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about."

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Aveo lagged far behind its subcompact competitors like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent in 2009, which all broke 60,000 in total sales for the year. Meanwhile, the Aveo couldn't achieve 40,000. However, statistics from Autodata obtained by USA Today reveal that the Aveo's sales are up 40 percent this year, enough to push it past the Yaris.

Those who don't care what their car is called might be able to find a used Chevrolet Aveo for a discount once the Sonic is introduced.