Do you think the smart car is SAFE?
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From: BC
Do you think the smart car is SAFE?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
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From: QC/FRANCE
Trust me its one of the safest cars on the planet. I had one for 6 months, than got rid of it because of transmission problems. Great car. One thing if you go up against a semi, you would for sure die, pretty much any car against a semi would die.
From the video, the S-class seems to get alot of damage.
From the video, the S-class seems to get alot of damage.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Miami, Florida
I have driven it here in Mexico for work for about a week and granted you and a semi would not want to mix. However, it does move for something its size and displacement. I did not sense the pause or hesitation mentioned in other articles describing its acceleration. If it were not so expensive, I would probably have it as a second car as the gas tank level hardly moved after driving it.
They can get a little expensive for parts.
They can get a little expensive for parts.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: none
Yeah it's pretty safe. Crashing it into a concrete barrier at 70mph, the cage is mostly intact. You can't say that for quite a number of cars. Granted, the G-forces might kill you but the car won't.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Ontario
Trust me its one of the safest cars on the planet. I had one for 6 months, than got rid of it because of transmission problems. Great car. One thing if you go up against a semi, you would for sure die, pretty much any car against a semi would die.
From the video, the S-class seems to get alot of damage.
From the video, the S-class seems to get alot of damage.
The S-Class does get a lot of damage, but damage doesn't really mean anything. Modern vehicles are designed to crunch up (crumple zones) when they are in collisions. By having the body absorb/transfer most of the force means a better chance of survival for the occupants.
Are Smart cars safe? Yes. But for the same amount of money I could choose many OTHER cars I would like to ride in for my safety.
Lexus Test Driver
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From: International
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Lexus Fanatic
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Safe compared to what?
Due to small size, weight and no real crush zones, it is less safe than most cars, although considerable work has been done in making it safe.
You can check real test here:
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...p?id1=1&id2=69
Basically Smart Car has really strong crash cage, HOWEVER that makes it transfer higher than usual forces into the restraints and then driver/passangers themselves.
If you add that cars in the US are considerably bigger than in Europe, that makes it a bit less safe as well.
Due to small size, weight and no real crush zones, it is less safe than most cars, although considerable work has been done in making it safe.
You can check real test here:
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...p?id1=1&id2=69
Basically Smart Car has really strong crash cage, HOWEVER that makes it transfer higher than usual forces into the restraints and then driver/passangers themselves.
If you add that cars in the US are considerably bigger than in Europe, that makes it a bit less safe as well.
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Lexus Fanatic
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let me put it this way - other than Koreans, it is not safer than any car sold in the US from 2000 onwards, and it is considerbly less safe than new cars from 2004-2005-2006.
Koreans have pretty poor record on cheap car safety.
Koreans have pretty poor record on cheap car safety.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Ontario
And this is BASED on what? The KIA SEDONA and HYUNDAI ENTOURAGE scored highest out of all minivans (Oddy, Caravan, Sienna) in the IIHS tests.
This statement is wrong in so many ways.
Kindly, if you haven't done the research, do not give out information that is not true.
Kindly, if you haven't done the research, do not give out information that is not true.
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IMO, whats not safe, is driving a 6000lbs Expedition with puny brakes, small wheels and handles like a 50 year old Caddy..
However, people will continue to think bigger is safer or the thinking "better him than me", thus these giant rigs with people saying "I am safe".
However, people will continue to think bigger is safer or the thinking "better him than me", thus these giant rigs with people saying "I am safe".
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
For its size, it is probably one of the safest cars on the planet, although the narrowness and high center of gravity probably don't bode well for roll-over resistance. And while 1SICKLEX is correct that full-size SUV's don't handle like sports cars, run that 6000-lb. Expedition into a 1500-lb. Smart and let's see who comes out second-best. 
Lexus Fanatic
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And this is BASED on what? The KIA SEDONA and HYUNDAI ENTOURAGE scored highest out of all minivans (Oddy, Caravan, Sienna) in the IIHS tests.
This statement is wrong in so many ways.
Kindly, if you haven't done the research, do not give out information that is not true.
This statement is wrong in so many ways.
Kindly, if you haven't done the research, do not give out information that is not true.
Again, I said cheap korean cars, not big and expensive minivans.
I have actually done the research and based on that I have posted my info.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
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For its size, it is probably one of the safest cars on the planet, although the narrowness and high center of gravity probably don't bode well for roll-over resistance. And while 1SICKLEX is correct that full-size SUV's don't handle like sports cars, run that 6000-lb. Expedition into a 1500-lb. Smart and let's see who comes out second-best.
Most, if not all, cars that were tested in EuroNCAP from 99 onwards got better ratings, and new cars get a lot better ratings. Let me put it this way - if Smart and Yaris hatch crash, Yaris driver would have bruises, while Smart driver would be spending a long time in the hospital.
Also keep in mind that when cars are tested against barrier, it is as if they crashed into same sized/weight car.
So Smart at 740kg getting 3 stars vs Yaris at 980kg getting 5 stars means that not only Yaris was significantly safer, it also had crash that was 30% stronger.
I am not saying it is not safe, but it is probably one of the least safe cars you can buy in the USA, other than cheap Korean cars.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,574
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Well, yes and no. Size and weight often ( but not always ) increase safety factors. The Smart, for its size, has quite good ratings....so does the Aygo. In a substantial impact with a large, heavy vehicle, though, I would not want to be in either a Smart or an Aygo.