In a crash, mass will always be your friend. True, the Ford F150 crumples like an accordion in a fixed barrier crash test but crash into one while driving your micro car and the Ford will eat it for lunch.

It always pays to put the most metal between you and the next guy.

I also drive a compact but I've been crashed into while driving full sized vehicles and I believe I would have been worse off if the crash had happened while I was driving the compact.

So I'd still pick the Accent or Vios sized vehicle or step up the (even the basic) Corolla or Civic. Not sure about the availability of ABS and SRS on those models but even my full size car doesn't have 'em so it's nothing new for me.