[akcapeco]

It's a bit of a leap to say the Metro would score 1 star on the safety rating. The Generation III Metro had been significantly upgraded from the previous models, structurally that is.

Again, here's some information that I researched and added to the Wikipedia article (Suzuki Cultus, the progenitor of Metro, et al), with sources of the info linked in the Wikipedia article:

Safety equipment included optional anti-lock brakes, safety cage construction with deformable front and rear crush zones and five structural crossbars engineered to spread side impact loads throughout the car's structure, steel side impact door safety beams, and daytime running lights (the Generation III Metro was the first GM car to offer DRLs), and dual frontal airbags.

The chassis was 30% stiffer than Generation II, and at the time of its introduction, it was the smallest car in the world to meet the impending 1997 North American side impact standards.

If you think about it, the Honda Insight was introduced in 1999, and probably didn't perform that much differently than the Metro/Swift... which though introduced in 1995, had to meet the 1997 side impact standards.

But the fact remains, North Americans are not drawn to stripper cars... even the Aveo with its available moonroof and keyless entry must fend off slings and arrows because it occupies the bottom wrung on the "ladder."

Naturally, the sobering light of $4.00 gasoline might have caused more than a few North Americans to recalibrate their... er... desires.