NHTSA's Rating For The Vibe

[tots]

Is the NHTSA's rating for the Vibe (4 and 5 stars) mean that it is safe relative to other cars of its size, or does it mean when compared to all passenger vehicles it earns a high safety rating?

[ragingfish]

I don't believe they're comparison based at all.I believe the ratings are dependent on how much monetary damage occurs to the car, and how much it would injure occupants.

[joatmon]

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/Info.htmlcrash ratings based on chance of injury, not by comparison to other vehicles

[tots]

Joatman -Thanks for the link. I received a lecture from someone over the weekend who told me that the ratings were only relative to vehicle class (i.e. a 5 star SUV is much safer in certain crashes than a 5 start Vibe). I'm glad the Vibe has earned such high ratings, hope I never need to put it to the test.

[joatmon]

I reread that nhtsa page again,maybe what I said was out of context. They do say that the headon crash ratings are only comparable between cars of the same approximate weight. The ratings are comparable for accidents with a head on into the "immovable object", but not for a head on between two vehicles of significantly different weights. In a head on with another vehicle, the vibe is gonna take more damage from a big SUV than it would from a lightweight, like a Honda Insight. The SUV is gonna take less damage running over a vibe that it would if it hit another big SUV. so your weekend lecturer had a valid point.That also means that SUVs pose a higher threat to non-SUVs, which may contribute to the anti-SUV attitudes of many. While people may buy SUVs to be safer, it also conveys a sense of arrogance that they don't care that they are deliberately choosing a vehicle that will cream you in a regular sized vehicle.I am glad I don't have an SUV at least twice a week when I buy a tank of gas.

[ragingfish]

And it doesn't take into account that if you hit an Aveo head on, you'll proabbly send it flying backward with minimal damage to the Vibe!

[Mavrik]

We always say, "Ah... another truck delivering foot balls again" when a car carrier shows up at the dealership with Aveo...I feel pretty safe in my Vibe, certainly would not in something smaller.