SOUND OFF: How Does Crash Worthiness Factor in Your Choice of a Car?

Unless a car has an engineering flaw that would make it unsafe (Ford Pinto) I would not base my decision on a car purchase soley on a 'safety rating'.....as with all aspects of life there is a risk factor no matter what the activity. It's crazy to expect automakers to make the driving experience 100% risk free.

Earning top awards for safety would not make me more likely to purchase, but earning bottom marks (as with the Accent and Rio in today's results) would definitely make me not purchase.

Our “family car” is typically the safer vehicle.

However like many of us I have a personal car too. If all things are pretty equal between cars I am considering then the crash survivability scores is a factor me. However if I see a car that scores fair to poor in tests, I will avoid it like the plague and it will never make it on my list.

I have been in 3 major crashes in my lifetime, none were my fault. In two of them I was not even moving at the time, the other two vehicles occupants involved, left in ambulances. The results were as dramatic as the pictures on the site, my car had substantial damage but the occupant cage was intact, on their cars the cage was compromised and they suffered for it. I would rather walk away any day from a crash rather than be hospitalized or worse.


A small car can still be safe, but a cheap car may never be

wonderful post, 009.

i, too, agree with you on the grounds that it would be a key decision maker when deciding on purchasing a car from a comparison.

My perception of safety does impact what I will and won't buy. For instance, I own a 1994 Chevy K1500 that doesn't have airbags and would probably perform poorly in a modern crash test, but I feel very safe in it. I'm guessing it's a combination of the height and mass of the vehicle that makes me feel secure.

Good crash test ratings are a plus, but there's a common sense factor that I always add into the equation. For example, I'd rather be in an accident in my truck than a mid-80s Toyota MR2.

With that being said, I'd definitely look for higher crash test ratings for anything that would be carrying the family on a regular basis. For my personal vehicle, however, I'm willing to trade a measure of active safety (handling, power, brakes) for crash test ratings.

crash tests to me are VERY important next to reliability and quality. The poor Toyota Corrolla in this picture hit a C class that have a very good crash test results. The older E class was very bad then it got fixed in the late 90s, but this body style C was very well designed for crashes.

I brought this exact topic up in the forum about the new MDX's back seat a few months back...how a heavier car like a Benz fairs better in crashes than light, inexpensivley built cars like a honda, toyota, etc. No one seemed to agree with me. Here's your proof i guess.

Honda and Toyota have top marks. Every single Honda has five star crash test ratings and most Toyotas do. I don't think that the price of the car affects how well it will do in a crash.

VW and Audi products usually perform at the top of their classes in crash tests.

My cars have to have safety. I won't buy a car without at least six air bags and a good rating from the government. I think that white car explains my reasons. The Mercedes held up nicely, though.

Isn't the other car a Toyota?

I don't know. Why?

Any car worth owning is going to be crash worthy by default.

Yes, the Audi A6 is the safest large sedan as rated by IIHS.

Crash safety would be at the very top of my list.

Yes, it is a Toyota...Here is the link:
http://benzinsider.com/2006/12/mercedes-vs-toyota-crash.html