gs4to4

I'm stumped. Here's what the RX has going for it:
Heavier than the ES, higher off the ground so it should be pretty good on side impact crashes. I don't have the specs in front of me, but I believe its wider, longer.
The new ES: The brakes are much better than the RX. Curtain airbags are available (not available on the RX)
It's a car, so you can "steer" away from a potential crash.
In terms of technology and safety, the ES is all new for 2002, while the RX is riding around on 1999 technology.
Rollovers are deadly, RX is more prone to them vs. the ES.
So, is the RX still an overall safer vehicle just because its a truck or does the ES win because of newer technology and better safety.

LexRX

It would be nice if we could crash a 2002 ES into an RX With dummies of course! But, I won't say who the dummies will be.

I think the ES and RX are both very safe vehicles. So similarly, in fact that I wouldn't let it be my deciding factor. Surely you could use the utility of the RX or something about the ES more.

I think you hit the most important factor with the ES being more maneuverable and the RX being more prone to flipping than a car - but being safer in many accidents due to weight.

Check out http://www.nhtsa.com and/or http://carpoint.msn.com for more safety results.

gs4to4

Thanks LexRX,

I think they're both safe as well, but those crash test ratings are so stupid.
If both cars, say a Kia and a Lexus both earned 5 stars, are we supposed to think they are both equally safe? There should be more info so consumers wil be able to find out which car is safe and which isn't.

LexRX

The thing you have to remember about crash test, and something I always remind myself of, is that the situation is as if the vehicle is colliding with itself.

This is because the vehicle is colliding with a stationary wall. In real-world experience things are much different. The scenario could involve two vehicles headed toward each-other increasing the overall impact speed. If an Excursion had a crappy crash test (i.e. if the cabin collapses on impact with a wall at 40mph) but crashed into a Geo Metro that hypothetically had a 5 star rating, who would fare better? The Geo would probably bounce off the Ford like a bug.

So, I see what you are saying. Overall, look at the crash test to gather some information on how the cabin held up during a collision - front or side. The insurance institute does some decent crash test and serve as good comparison, but not necessarily end-result facts.

The weight makes a big difference with a two-vehicle crash. Also, energy absorption is key.

Here are a couple reviews with pictures from the IIHS.
ES RX

Notice how the hood of both the RX and ES is smashed. Looks bad, but it did a good job of slowing the vehicle and absorbing the energy while keeping the cabin in tact.

gs4to4

LexRX: Thank you!
I had no idea they gave so much info. Last time I logged on to their site, all I saw was a simple star rating. I was on that site for hours. In conclusion, I guess both cars are equally safe.