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.
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
11-18-06, 12:05 PM
True about the Focus, I did an e brake turn and the car nearly flipped over... it was an 07 rental.
XeroK00L
11-18-06, 12:42 PM
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.Totally true.:thumbup:
bitkahuna
11-18-06, 12:54 PM
The least safe cars are the ones with bad drivers in them. :sad:
Nextourer
11-19-06, 05:52 PM
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
11-20-06, 05:25 PM
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.
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
11-20-06, 07:23 PM
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.
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
11-20-06, 11:21 PM
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.
Then why are they doing poorly in crash tests without the airbags? That means the standard has been raised?
bizzy928
11-21-06, 05:10 AM
Then why are they doing poorly in crash tests without the airbags? That means the standard has been raised?
It means the vehicle does not meet today's standards.
mmarshall
11-21-06, 05:41 AM
The least safe cars are the ones with bad drivers in them. :sad:
Like this one?
True about the Focus, I did an e brake turn and the car nearly flipped over... it was an 07 rental.
mmarshall
11-21-06, 06:01 AM
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
11-21-06, 06:05 AM
Like this one?
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
11-22-06, 12:55 AM
Then why are they doing poorly in crash tests without the airbags? That means the standard has been raised?
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 noteAll the vehicle’s airbag systems are Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS). The driver’s and front passenger’s airbags and knee airbag(s) are designed to inflate in severe (usually frontal) collisions where the magnitude and duration of the forward deceleration of the vehicle exceed the design threshold level. The side airbags and side curtain airbags are designed to inflate in certain types of severe side-impact collisions. In all other accidents, the airbags will not inflate. To decrease the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear seatbelts, sit upright in the middle of the seat as far back as possible from the airbag modules and do not lean against the door. Do not put objects in front of an airbag or around the seatback. Do not use a rearward-facing child seat in any front passenger seat. The force of an inflating airbag SRS may cause serious injury or death. Please see your Owner’s Manual for further instructions. Vehicle complies with “advanced airbag” requirements of FMVSS 208. 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.