cocopops

iTrader: (1)

MSN has an article on the least safe car for the 2007. Surprised to see a Toyota on the list.

link: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...tSafeCars.aspx

• Ford Focus
• Mazda3
• Saturn Ion
• Suzuki Aerio
• Suzuki Forenza
• Toyota Corolla
• Chevrolet Cobalt

also has a bunch of articles that discuss on insurance as well. Read them out, can be useful.

TheRupp

Wow the Mini Cooper isn't on there? Way to go BMW on engineering that vehicle in that case

spwolf

you should have mentioned that "unsafe" are models without side airbags in side impact tests, which is valid for every car.

Basically whole article is about side airbags.

ninous26

True about the Focus, I did an e brake turn and the car nearly flipped over... it was an 07 rental.

XeroK00L

Totally true.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

The least safe cars are the ones with bad drivers in them.

Nextourer

Yeah, the Corolla isn't rated well without side airbags.

What I'm wondering is why cars nowadays do poorly without side airbags. Is it because the test standards are higher or is it because manufacturers are getting lazy and using side airbags (which are probably cheaper to implement) to get the ratings they want and cut costs in the sheetmetal.

spwolf

cars are doing better than before, however there is an huge difference in safety that side airbags provide.

There are quite large differences in safety of cars from now and 10 years ago (huge actually) and tests are getting stricter and stricter.

Not many cars from 10 years ago would score 4 star rating in today's EuroNCAP tests (including most expensive cars), yet today, it is quite normal for Yaris to get 5 stars.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

The way I've understood this is they've actually had to improve the side structure to support airbag deployment, so the cars are inherently better even if the airbags weren't there.

I'm first to admit I am not an airbag fan after seeing what they do to people, especially anyone outside the design specs or anyone not in design position, BUT, I am impressed with the improvements airbags have forced for side impact protection.

Nextourer

Then why are they doing poorly in crash tests without the airbags? That means the standard has been raised?

bizzy928

It means the vehicle does not meet today's standards.

mmarshall

Like this one?

mmarshall

You also have to understand WHY vehicles without side and curtain airbags do so much more poorly than vehicles that do have them....although some of it, of course, is common sense and is not rocket science.

Side-impacts, especially the more severe oves, are some of the surest ways of getting killed or seriously hurt in a vehicle. In frontal impacts, even at higher vehicle speeds, you have a lot of protection from the heavy and solid engine, firewall, body and hood crumple zones, front unibody or frame-rail structure, seatbelt / shoulder harness, pre-tensioners, energy-absorbing steering column, and crumble-safety glass.

However, most of these advantages are lost in side-impacts or vehicle rollovers...especially if you are in a small car and get T-Boned in the side by a large SUV. All you have are the car's door panels, the Federally-required beam inside the doors, and whatever strength is built into the car's A and B-Pillars. So, in most cases there, isn't a whole lot separating you from whatever is trying to get into the cabin and turn you into a pancake.
That's where the side-impact and curtain bags come in. They provide an additional cushion between you and the intruder...and the car's structure collapsing on your side. You still may have some injuries....particularly side-wrench injuries.....to your neck or spine....but your chances of survival will generally be much higher.

Incendentally, on an aside note, that is one of several reasons why I like Subarus......they have an extremely strong metal structure inside the side B-Pillars, made of several concentrically-coiled layers of case-hardened steel, that is so strong that some firemen even have problems cutting into it with the jaws.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Yup. I never had sympathy for BAD DRIVERS when they said that Hyundai (or was it Isuzu?) SUV could roll over, or the claims against the Explorer (funny, I now have one!). You drive a car like an idiot, and bad things happen.

And it can be an incredibly capable vehicle too, as we saw in the thread about the drunk girl hitting in the 911 hitting the toll booth on the other side of the highway.

Bad drivers and inattention are THE single biggest safety problems on the road.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Maybe the Corolla is, but there are others that score well with or without side airbags. The Scion tC is such a car.

It's also interesting to note I'm just a tad miffed they didn't tell me about leaning against the door when I bought the car. I do it a lot; I rest my elbow on the top of the door sill. I didn't realise I was endangering myself with this behaviour.

Interesting they don't need a disclaimer telling you your seatbelts may cause injury or death.