Do crash tests matter when buying your car?

[ballmode]

I figure most cars on the road are safe... Volvo has been the leader up until who knows when. I am assuming when I see a 4 or 5 star in this and that cars generally have held up very well.

With cars all becoming similar in stats, style, fuel economy etc. are they becoming similar in crash test ratings?

I just looked up my WRX from 2004 and I got 4 star driver, 5 star passenger, 4 star overall.

I hope to never find out but I never bothered to check this before buying the car...

 

[CurseTheSky]

Yes, but only if something stands out significantly one way or the other. I find that most of the cars these days are in the 4/5 star categories in most areas, so it's somewhat of a moot point. However, there is the occasional model that will have horrible front passenger, side impact, etc. ratings, which would sway my decision. For example, when I was looking for a cheap utility vehicle, one of things that I considered was a 90's Blazer... until I saw the crash ratings.

Generally speaking, most modern cars (again, as long as nothing stands out significantly) are designed well enough to keep you safe unless the accident was bound to be horrendous anyway. If you're T-boned by an 18-wheeler at 60 MPH, a 3 star vs. a 5 star rating becomes fairly insignificant.

 

[Ronstang]

Only if the entire car is completely inferior, like anything the Chinese make.

 

[Imp]

Newer cars appear to be 4/5 and up in everything - the ones I'm interested in, at least.

However, I trust the ratings up to a point, then I let intuition take over: Prius I want probably won't handle nailing a moose as well as a Fusion.

 

[shortylickens]

Only if the entire car is completely inferior, like anything the Chinese make.

Yeah I came in to say that.
I've read up on the so-called Smart Car and you couldnt pay me to drive one of those. No way in hell I'd buy one and trust my life to it.

 

[PandaBear]

For myself and my dad, no. For my mom (horrible driver)? Heck yes.

 

[Throckmorton]

They aren't all the same. Trucks especially have huge variation, most of them being pretty unsafe. Plus the testing is done with barriers that resemble the car in size and height. So a small car may have a "5 star" rating but it's not nearly as safe as a bigger heavier vehicle that also has a 5 star rating.

I think the most important thing now is side impact airbags. Except for old platforms like the outdated Ranger that crumple like paper mache, you're protected by the body of the car in a front or rear collision. Side impacts are what kill you. A pane of glass provides zero protection for your head.

 

[Doppel]

Yep for sure.

 

[Insomniator]

My tiny 2004 mini is 4 star all around... i didnt even check before i bought it.

 

[jlee]

I found this the other day

 

[justfrank]

I found this the other day

Seems they removed the Volvo's engine. Its engine is part of their crash worthiness so if removed, that test is worthless.

 

[RavenSEAL]

God yes. After watching a Yaris take a front impact at 40mph, uggghhh.

 

[bruceb]

This is what can happen to a Smart Car (no way I would be ever ride in one)

Car: Smart Car
Description: Ouch, got sandwiched between two trucks

 

[jlee]

Seems they removed the Volvo's engine. Its engine is part of their crash worthiness so if removed, that test is worthless.

LOL, good catch...

 

[MrWizzard]

This is what can happen to a Smart Car (no way I would be ever ride in one)

Car: Smart Car
Description: Ouch, got sandwiched between two trucks

Even though it’s easy to day “OOH LOOK THE SMART CAR FAILED!”

Pretty much most cars between two semi are going to look like that, lol

Bottom line though is the heavier your car, in most cases, the safer you will be.

For example a 2004 WRX may get 4 and 5 star ratings. But if it gets into a accident with a Landrover LR3 the people in the Landrover are going to be better off and the WRX stars aren’t going to be worth as much. The LR3 has got more metal around them and more crumple zone, and more mass.

You have seen the small little cars get into accidents with the big ones. Doesn’t matter to much what star rating they got, a lot of the test have a car or stationary object hitting another car at the same bumper height. Large SUVs VS Ordinary Sedan the Sedan looses. There is more than just did anything come into the passenger cabin, it’s the force that things slow down that can “liquefy and tear” your insides up. The lighter car will almost always get the worse end of the accident when colliding with another vehicle.

This is cut from a MSNBC article.

"At just 8.8 feet long and slightly wider and taller than 5 feet, it is already one of the smallest cars on any road in any country; it weighs around 1,700 pounds. Compare that to a Ford Explorer, a sport utility vehicle 6 feet high, more than 6 feet across and nearly 16 feet long, weighing 4,436 to 4,606 pounds, and it’s not hard to see why safety might be a concern.”




WRX is about 3000 lbs.

Miata 2500 lbs

Landrover LR3 5400 lbs

Civic 2700 lbs

BMW M5 about 4000

Volvo XC90 4751

Do the math, heavier car=worse gas mileage but if you are in an accident worth every penny in extra gas cost.

PS other posters are right, any car from china I would be careful about. Just look at you tube and see the crash tests on these things. They take our models that we sell the old plans for and make them with different standards and well, it’s not pretty.

 

[desy]

Its one of the things to motivate me to newer cars but just a cursory check to make sure its up to stuff which most modern cars are
You are safest up to about 4000lb then driving dynamics diminish and you start increasing the lilelyhood you will get into an accident

 

[BurnItDwn]

I watch the crash test video before I buy a car, yes. Usually I pick whichever car based upon which crash test video looks the most fun!

 

[Throckmorton]

It's not so much weight as cabin strength and safety features. The truck tboning your car doesn't care how much it weighs. It's going to transfer a huge amount of energy to your head and spine unless you have a strong door, strong pillars, and a side airbag protecting you.

It's weird how people think 70s land yachts are safe. Well maybe in a front or rear collision, but why would you worry about those? You're really at risk from side impacts and those cars have virtually zero side protection.

 

[justfrank]

It's not so much weight as cabin strength and safety features. The truck tboning your car doesn't care how much it weighs. It's going to transfer a huge amount of energy to your head and spine unless you have a strong door, strong pillars, and a side airbag protecting you.

It's weird how people think 70s land yachts are safe. Well maybe in a front or rear collision, but why would you worry about those? You're really at risk from side impacts and those cars have virtually zero side protection.

IMO, being T-boned isn't all that common and can be avoided if you look at both sides before crossing intersections.

Rear impacts are very common. I've had it happen to me several times but never from a high rate of speed. Came close once in the 70s on the freeway when I was stopped in rush hour traffic and a car was coming at me at a high rate of speed but the guy turned the wheel and went off the freeway spinning instead. Never knew what happened to him.

So, a if you were in car like a Mini or Smart car and rear ended at a higher rate of speed by a larger vehicle, pretty sure you'd be toast.

 

[Throckmorton]

IMO, being T-boned isn't all that common and can be avoided if you look at both sides before crossing intersections.

Rear impacts are very common. I've had it happen to me several times but never from a high rate of speed. Came close once in the 70s on the freeway when I was stopped in rush hour traffic and a car was coming at me at a high rate of speed but the guy turned the wheel and went off the freeway spinning instead. Never knew what happened to him.

So, a if you were in car like a Mini or Smart car and rear ended at a higher rate of speed by a larger vehicle, pretty sure you'd be toast.

True. I think Fifth Gear tested rear impact safety of those small 3 row vehicles that are popular in Europe, and all of them were horrible. Occupants of the rearmost row had no chance.

 

[SandEagle]

with kids, yes.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yes, living in the city, I've been rear-ended several times and have almost t-boned from cars blowing red lights/stop signs, a couple of times.

 

[Crono]

I checked nearly all info before getting my current car (base v6 2012 mustang). I wouldn't say it made a huge difference, but if it rated poorly I probably would have thought about buying one of the other cars in its class.

Safety isn't the biggest consideration for me, unless the car in question is known for being unsafe.
I had a low-speed (~ 20-30 mph) collision with another car a few months ago. Front of my car held up pretty well, so I'm happy about that.
Side impact probably wouldn't have been nice.

 

[mooseracing]

Nope, short of the extremes I could careless.

I drive 2 different pickups during the year, weight and a solid frame win.

I've responded to enough accidents that there is no way in hell I want a newer car, I would rather not have the car totaled in an accident under 35mph, and I would rather not be peeled from the card like canned tuna.

 

[JulesMaximus]

This is what can happen to a Smart Car (no way I would be ever ride in one)

Car: Smart Car
Description: Ouch, got sandwiched between two trucks

Of course not. Because that picture is exactly what will happen to you if you EVER get in one.

Christ, if I worried about every thing that could kill me on a daily basis I'd never leave the house let alone ride a motorcycle.

Most cars are pretty safe. My next car will likely be a compact that gets excellent gas mileage. I'm not splitting hairs between which car has more airbags, I'm focusing on fuel economy, comfort, technology, and looks.

BTW-What's with the tuft of fur in the lower right side of the pic? Someone leave a tribble in the picture?