Why I'll never buy or ride in a Smart Car

[indamixx99]

Poor Mercedes

 

[lxskllr]

I was all about the Smart Car until I looked into them. I thought they were all electric at first, nope, just a crappy little motor that doesn't get that good gas mileage considering it's size. I think they're neat looking, but there's no advantage to a standard car, except for very small size for city parking, they aren't even all that cheap :^/

I couldn't care less about safety, but I need something to work with here :^D

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: Queasy
Link - Check the video in the middle of the page. That's against a mid-sized Mercedes C-Class.

Aside from the other factors such as aesthetics, space, and 'coolness', I'd feel like I'm driving in a death trap around Atlanta.

I wonder how it would fare against my 1987 Ford Crown Vic.

Not well, but don't kid yourself; you wouldn't do well in that Crown Vic either.

IIHS crash results for the Crown Vic (2003 is as early as they list) are marginal in frontal offset, and poor for side impact.

I imagine a model 16 years older, most likely without airbags, would fare even worse.

 

[TraumaRN]

I know it's not out in the States yet but anyone have the European equivalent version of this test for the Ford Fiesta??

Just curious since it will be released here in the states in less than a year.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Slew Foot

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: AmdEmAll
meh, it did pretty good for being so small and hitting at 80mph combined.

Two cars colliding at 40 mph each head on is not the same as one car at 80 and the other stationary.

Relative velocity. 2 cars going at 40mph towards each other have a relative velocity of 80mph. Same as a particle of the reduced mass of the system traveling at 80mph towards a stationary point.

The total kinetic energies are different though. 2 x 40^2 < 80^2

That's why I said reduced mass. Relative kinetic energy is 1/2(u)v(rel)^2.

Thus, you have KE(1) + KE(2) = KE(center of mass) + KE(rel)

Where KE(1) and KE(2) are made up of the individual masses, and the "lab velocities" of the bodies moving. KE(center of mass) is made up of the center of mass velocity and sum of the masses; remains unchanged in the collision. KE rel is what I said it was above.

You forgot to divide by zero.

 

[makken]

I think you guys are missing the point of the smart car. I think it was designed more for maneuvering in city traffic and ease of parking than fuel economy. If you look at europe, its home / intended market, there are lots of tiny cars that are designed specifically for getting around cities. I do agree that selling it here in the US, where pretty much every city is designed for large trucks and SUVs, is retarded.

Also, bigger is not always safer. Case in point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i5EmJBaGeQ
to ford's credit however, the latest model fares much better.

 

[Rudee]

Those cars are Birth Control on wheels.

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I saw a Corolla slam into the side/rear end of a Smart Car in an intersection near my house. It sent the Smart Car spinning across the street and up onto the sidewalk, but aside from that and the airbag deploying, the Smart Car came out ok, just a bit mashed in the back. The Corolla looked to be about in the same shape.

KT

Cars are designed with crumple zones, so of course it will look about the same. There both suppose to absorb as much energy as possible

 

[makken]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA
I know it's not out in the States yet but anyone have the European equivalent version of this test for the Ford Fiesta??

Just curious since it will be released here in the states in less than a year.

is this what you were looking for?

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: Queasy
Link - Check the video in the middle of the page. That's against a mid-sized Mercedes C-Class.

Aside from the other factors such as aesthetics, space, and 'coolness', I'd feel like I'm driving in a death trap around Atlanta.

I wonder how it would fare against my 1987 Ford Crown Vic.

Well I dont know how the smart would do but if you get any new car now, any car put it against your Crown Vic, the people in the newer car would far much better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3ygYUYia9I

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: ivan2
this is totally opposite of the test that fifth gear done years ago, i am kinda surprise when i read the news.

All testing aside, even from looking at them you should assume they are deathtraps.
Granted, plenty of poorly designed big cars are deathtraps too, but thats why you have to be selective when you shop. Reading Consumer Reports is a great idea before you even hit the lots.


I've seen a lot of those things around town and I think they should be illegal on public roads.
I suppose if they come in a Hybrid or electric or hydrogen model, they would make a good substitute for golf carts in large industrial areas, but they should never be considered real cars for street use.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: Ronstang
There are so many reasons not to by a Smart Car, this is just icing.

This is true. My Scion Xa was $4000 cheaper, gets 4 MPG more on the hwy, has a backseat, a full trunk, and can hold 4 people. Smart Cars should be called Stupid Cars.

You basically covered many of the reasons I was thinking of in my head. It is a dumb car for trendy dipshits and the green scene posers.

I think the Smart car is a good idea implemented very poorly.

Gordon Murray (guy who designed the McLaren F1) has been working on a similar idea. I think they're supposed to formally announce it sometime fairly soon. The stuff I've seen about it makes it a lot more interesting (they've considered everything from manufacturing, distribution, repair, etc).

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: makken

Originally posted by: DeathBUA
I know it's not out in the States yet but anyone have the European equivalent version of this test for the Ford Fiesta??

Just curious since it will be released here in the states in less than a year.

is this what you were looking for?

Yup.....seems to fair...a little better at least

 

[soydios]

Your body will remain intact because the cage around you holds up. The significantly greater change in velocity during the crash due to the reduced mass of the Smart Car makes it more likely that you'll be injured or killed. So your corpse will still be intact for burial.

 

[imported_Imp]

Never liked the Smart. It looks retarded, and is a death trap (god willing because you probably won't have legs after a head on crash).

I kind of like the Yaris, Mini and Fit though. If I swore to never take them on the highway, I'd be pretty happy zooming around town in them. The highest I've hit on sub-urban streets is 75-ish Kmph (50 Mph?).

When all is said and done, until the playing field is evened out (i.e. everyone drives the same size car, no SUVs or F150s on the road), I'll stick to normal sized cars.

By the way, whoever thought up that GM 2 seat rickshaw minus puller that debuted last week should be shot. Ya, it hits 50 Kmph with one flimsy steel plate for protection.

 

[nestlewater]

I just googled for hummer h2 crash test results,, Got nothing??

 

[lxskllr]

Safety's over rated. If you want to be safe, stay in the house. I've had a couple of VW buses, and you're sitting on top of the front wheels, with your feet about 1' from the front bumper :^D

I'd drive a micro car in a heartbeat if it had an advantage to me. I'm thinking about picking up a motorcycle and sidecar. I just don't have the money atm.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: makken

is this what you were looking for?

not quite the same, they'd have to be testing it with a mondeo coming the other way

Originally posted by: ivan2
this is totally opposite of the test that fifth gear done years ago, i am kinda surprise when i read the news.

did you watch to the end? where it say's the people would be pretty bad off, if they survived at all?

and this test is a lot different. the smart in fifth gear went sliding off the wall in the 1 to 2 o'clock direction, whereas in this test the merc kicked it backward in the 4 to 5 o'clock direction. so the fifth gear smart didn't go through near as much change in velocity.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: AmdEmAll
meh, it did pretty good for being so small and hitting at 80mph combined.

Two cars colliding at 40 mph each head on is not the same as one car at 80 and the other stationary.

Physics disagrees with you.

Unless I messed up the math, the energy dissipated in the 40mph x2 collision is greater than the 80mph collision.

Physics doesn't work that way.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: AmdEmAll
meh, it did pretty good for being so small and hitting at 80mph combined.

Two cars colliding at 40 mph each head on is not the same as one car at 80 and the other stationary.

Physics disagrees with you.

Unless I messed up the math, the energy dissipated in the 40mph x2 collision is greater than the 80mph collision.

Physics doesn't work that way.

It does if you mess up your math like I did 😛

Of course I could go all ATOT super technical and bring relativistic effects into it 😉

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: nestlewater
I just googled for hummer h2 crash test results,, Got nothing??

Hummers don't crash, they destroy... all other cars.

 

[BoomerD]

They had a Smart Car at the campus's Earth Day celebration last week. I kept thinking that I could stick it in my pocket and wander off...no one would even notice...😛

Didn't look much stronger than a soda can to me...I can't imagine being in one of those in a collision with anything bigger...like an F-250, Expedition, or Suburban. They'd just finish crushing the car and bury you right in it.

 

[sandorski]

No Vehicle is "Safe"

 

[nestlewater]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: nestlewater
I just googled for hummer h2 crash test results,, Got nothing??

Hummers don't crash, they destroy... all other cars.

No, i'm being serious, parents are getting a new car. I'm looking for one for them. Since they're getting older, I don't think they can quite recover from broken bodies as easily, so safety is the largest concern. I don't quite care about "statiscally" least accidents, rather what can be Seen, Hummer = looks like tank = they won't die.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I always thought smart cars had a very strong shell compared to the average car, as it had to be able to pass tests. This is actually shocking.