SUVs without side air bags do poorly in crash test

[Sputnik]

Here's a list of vehicles tested by the Insurance Institute... The format is a bit funky, but its Name of Vehicle (model year), Rating, Side Air BagsSubaru Forester (2003) Good Standard Ford Escape (2001-03) Good Optional Hyundai Santa Fe (2002-03) Acceptable Standard Honda CR-V (2002-03) Marginal Optional Jeep Wrangler (1997-2003) Marginal Not offered Ford Escape (w/o air bag) Poor Optional Honda Element (2003) Poor Optional Saturn Vue (2002-03) Poor Optional Land Rover Freelander (2002-03) Poor Not offered Suzuki Grand Vitara (1999-2003) Poor Not offered Toyota RAV4 (2001-03) Poor Not offered Mitsubishi Outlander (2003) Poor Optional Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Notice the Honda Element did poorly. You can view the entire article at USA today: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/200 ... ests_x.htm

[NovaResource]

A couple of things to note here:1. this was a side impact test.2. this was a new test using a larger and heavier vehicle to simulate being hit by an SUV3. all cars tested passed government standards for side impacts using the standard vehicle.

[Sputnik]

quote:A couple of things to note here:1. this was a side impact test.2. this was a new test using a larger and heavier vehicle to simulate being hit by an SUV3. all cars tested passed government standards for side impacts using the standard vehicle.Yes I should have put Side Impact crash in my title, but did mention side air bags. The crash was to simulate being hit by an SUV or pick up truck at 30 mph.

[Sputnik]

And now I've edited the title.

[mu_ohio]

quote:A couple of things to note here:1. this was a side impact test.2. this was a new test using a larger and heavier vehicle to simulate being hit by an SUV3. all cars tested passed government standards for side impacts using the standard vehicle.I think it's about time that we see test results using a heavier vehicle. The government tests are questionable IMO. It seems that the Insurance Industry is trying to provide more real world results, plus they have a heavy interest in safety. The safer the cars, the less money they have to pay and the more they keep. I've always took the goverment standards as an early sign of safety and then wait for these tests to back them up.

[ColonelPanic]

quote:Notice the Honda Element did poorly.I can certainly see how it would, considering how they've got that suicide-door thing going on. There isn't much support there on the side...Glad to see them using a larger vehicle for testing purposes... More of a real-world type scenerio...

[ragingfish]

FMU, Hyundais did relatively well in the safety arena...same with Kia (seeing as they're the same parent company...

[ragingfish]

I heard the safety on the VUE was only so-so...Which goes against everything Saturn was originally founded on -- safe, affordable cars.I remember seeing the commercials that went something to the effect of "the police said the car saved my life. I will never buy another brand ever again. A Saturn saved my life..."

[mu_ohio]

quote:I heard the safety on the VUE was only so-so...Which goes against everything Saturn was originally founded on -- safe, affordable cars.I remember seeing the commercials that went something to the effect of "the police said the car saved my life. I will never buy another brand ever again. A Saturn saved my life..."That is sad IMO. I know that when my brother t-boned a car that pulled out in front of him when he was going 45, his Saturn SC2 held up like a champ. The car was totaled, but my brother was able to walk away and he even went to work after the accident was cleaned up. There safety really impressed me when that happened, but this isn't a good sign.

[NovaResource]

quote:I think it's about time that we see test results using a heavier vehicle. The government tests are questionable IMO. It seems that the Insurance Industry is trying to provide more real world results, plus they have a heavy interest in safety. The safer the cars, the less money they have to pay and the more they keep. I've always took the goverment standards as an early sign of safety and then wait for these tests to back them up.I couldn't agree more. There are more and more 'big" vehicles on the roads today and the tests and safety standard should take them more into consideration.

[ragingfish]

Well, this is only a side impact test. It may fare better in a front end collision...

[Shadow Realm]

Between the Vue, Sante Fe, and the Sorrento I'd pick the Sorrento as long as I planned on keeping it till I paid it off. I didn't like the Vue...seemed too plasticky looking. I looked at it when I was thinking of buying the Vibe.Shadow Realm