Small May Equal Economical

[greenday-rulz21 6]

Everyone is rushing to smaller cars, but the fact remains that the vast majority of cars on American roads are big. Whether an SUV or large sedan, small may be chic right now, but is large still safer.

I have seen quite a few Smart cars on the road recently, and you have to wonder what happens when it comes into contact with a larger SUV.

This video will help answer some of those questions as an Audi Q7 is crashed into the new Fiat 500. I for one would rather be in the Audi than the Fiat in this accident.

What do you think, would you trade safety for economy? Physics can't be overcome no matter how safe a small car is when it comes into contact with a much larger vehicle. This is a serious question, give it some thought before answering. Does economy outweigh safety?

Courtesy of Autospies

[JiB 2]

The Fiat held it's cabin structure fairly well all things considered. But yes...would much prefer to be in the Audi.

But there are counter arguments to the conventional large car vs small car beliefs. Fifth gear did a similar test with a Volvo 940i and a smaller Renault Modus. The Megane with it's 5 five rating went right through the Volvo which was a third heavier and much longer. As a result the Megane's passengers would've walked away and the Volvo's would have been critical.

Volvo vs Renault

Surprisingly pre 2000 BMW 3-series' have never faired well in safety tests, no better equivalent than Toyotas or Hondas!

EuroNCAP Site

I for one don't really like exceedingly large SUV's because of the hazard they pose to others and themselves, more specifically - bullbar toting school run mobiles ! Especially when a nice station wagon would offer a better ride, just as much space, better safety and better fuel economy for the same price.

I don't really think there is a proper solution to this, some people can't afford to run a big car or pay for a super safe super mini.

[bmw.maniac 1]

The body of the Fiat got pwned, however it looks like the occupants stayed resonably safe. The new Fiat 500 has got a 5 Star safety rating, so I wouldn't really hesitate owning one.

We don't really need to be scared into buying large cars to be safe here, the vehicle on NZ roads are relatively small and thus you'd really only be truely stuffed if you hit a log truck. On the other hand, in the US every second car is a Chevrolet Suburban or something of similar size, so there is more 'need' for a safer car.

[tire 10]

I got a ride around for a bit in an f150 truck last week. It was awesome, certainly not unsafe. I suspect we would just go right over any 5star safety hatch without realising

[bmw.maniac 1]

I got a ride around for a bit in an f150 truck last week. It was awesome, certainly not unsafe. I suspect we would just go right over any 5star safety hatch without realising

I'm sorry, but you couldn't be more wrong.

Pre 2004 F150s are known notoriously in the US for being incredibly unsafe. They earned one star out of a possible four in the IIHS crash tests, for having a lovely crumple zone right where your knees are in the driver and passenger seats.

The 2004 model year brought multiple improvements, but it is still scary thinking that such a big pickup (yes, i've ridden in one too) can be so unsafe.

Watch this:

[tire 10]

Oh yea

felt real safe though, u know what i mean

[CamB 48]

I used to have a 1978 Jag XJ6. I'm not sure it had crumple zones, but it always felt like it would just tear a hole in anything that pulled out in front of it. The engines are about as heavy as you can get.

I don't get the whole large/safe thing. Safety is quite literally the last thing I consider when buying a car. Safety = additional weight, whatever the size of the car. It's disgraceful that a "small, light" car these days is over 1000kg.

[martyyn 2]

I don't get the whole large/safe thing. Safety is quite literally the last thing I consider when buying a car. Safety = additional weight, whatever the size of the car. It's disgraceful that a "small, light" car these days is over 1000kg.

Perhaps your view would change if, like me, you had three kids on the back

Having said that my wife and I absolutely refuse to own a 4x4 on the simple basis that they are completely unneccesary when it comes to safety. Most of the people I talk to only bought one because there are so many on the roads and they dont want to be worse off in a smash. Id rather be in my e39 touring anyday.

Tell me though....how do you judge safety (not Cam, everyone) ?

Does the fact that a 4x4's occupants might be ok in a smash but the car its just driven over is wasted mean its safer ?

[greenday-rulz21 6]

I'm sorry, but you couldn't be more wrong.

Pre 2004 F150s are known notoriously in the US for being incredibly unsafe. They earned one star out of a possible four in the IIHS crash tests, for having a lovely crumple zone right where your knees are in the driver and passenger seats.

The 2004 model year brought multiple improvements, but it is still scary thinking that such a big pickup (yes, i've ridden in one too) can be so unsafe.

Watch this:

The Ford F-series 82-92 has a four star rating. Although you're obviously tallking about the in between model.

I'm gonna create a new topic with the safety rating of bmers. Could be quite interesting.

[kiwi535 538]

Perhaps your view would change if, like me, you had three kids on the back

Having said that my wife and I absolutely refuse to own a 4x4 on the simple basis that they are completely unneccesary when it comes to safety. Most of the people I talk to only bought one because there are so many on the roads and they dont want to be worse off in a smash. Id rather be in my e39 touring anyday.

Tell me though....how do you judge safety (not Cam, everyone) ?

Does the fact that a 4x4's occupants might be ok in a smash but the car its just driven over is wasted mean its safer ?

4x4 are safe if you have an accident with a smaller vehicle,but because they are relatively rigid you will come of worse if ou have an accident with a stationary object or a lerger vehicle ,plus they have a high rollover risk,meanig you are probably more likely to have your own accident

[elmarco 56]

plus they have a high rollover risk,meanig you are probably more likely to have your own accident

Yep - as Ford and Firestone "discussed" in a US court a while back....

Haven't met an engineer yet that can defy the laws of physics.

[my_e36 43]

There's one thing people should know.

5 star on a small car is not the same as 5 star on a big car.

If a big and small car have the same star rating, big car will always win.

[ducatiss 1]

There's one thing people should know.

5 star on a small car is not the same as 5 star on a big car.

If a big and small car have the same star rating, big car will always win.

Agreed. Also all frontal crash tests assume that the vehicles colliding have the same bumper height. A bumper to bumper crash is better as both vehicles are able to absorb/deform/and in newer cars, transfer the forces up through the a pillars into the vehicle frame.

If a smaller car collides with a larger SUV, this doesn't always happen as the SUV will over-ride the smaller severely compromising this ability.

[westy 614]

The drivers the biggest risk/safety factor in any car.

[kiwi535 538]

There's one thing people should know.

5 star on a small car is not the same as 5 star on a big car.

If a big and small car have the same star rating, big car will always win.

thats exactly the point of this thread isnt it?

[Braeden320 0]

The drivers the biggest risk/safety factor in any car.

+1

You can have the safest car in the world but if theres an idiot driving it then anything can potentially happen

[bravo 35]

The problem as I see it is that everyone keeps buying bigger vehicles so that they are the biggest on the road and thus feel the safest. If we all bought smaller vehicles and removed all but the few large vehicles necessary for work and vehicles bought specifically for recreation (eg off road 4x4s), then we'd all be better off.

It won't happen though.

[martyyn 2]

The problem as I see it is that everyone keeps buying bigger vehicles so that they are the biggest on the road and thus feel the safest. If we all bought smaller vehicles and removed all but the few large vehicles necessary for work and vehicles bought specifically for recreation (eg off road 4x4s), then we'd all be better off.

It won't happen though.

Bravo for PM, couldnt have said it better myself.

All this 'Ill be safer in a 4x4 and bugger the rest of you' is half the trouble because everyone else ends up in one aswell. Honestly the school run is a joke these days and I end up with the touring being one of the smallest vehicles of the lot.