Euro NCAP finds small cars offer plenty of protection
Europe's crash testing authority, Euro NCAP, has published a series of new tests that includes the latest small and fuel efficient models offered there. The top scorers in the small car segment, with five star results, were the Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and Kia Soul. The Audi Q5 and the Peugeot 3008 also scored the maximum in their category. What Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, said that the findings should help combat the false feeling that only large cars are safe: "Many claim that the weight and size of a car is the only criteria for safety. We believe that there are other aspects of safety that are just as important. The smaller cars we tested whose results are released today show that size should not stand in the way of all-round safety," he said.
[Source: Euro NCAP]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
downtoearth 9:04PM (5/28/2009)
This news is very misleading. And crappy.
Small cars DO NOT OFFER plenty of protection. Never did and never will.
Just look how beautifully the Toyota Yaris did in the EuroNCAP crash test. All stars, nearly all possible points available scored: http://www.euroncap.com/tests/toyota_yaris_2005/246.aspx
And then it completely DISINTEGRATED when crashed against the Camry in a more violent test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcTf78b8WfY
As long as there are big cars there (always, forever), small cars = death on the scene.
PS. Did I mention the Yaris is junk?
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Matt 12:31AM (5/29/2009)
Not all accidents are car on car; plenty of accidents are single vehicle events. Besides, that crash test you're referring to is hardly evidence, there are way too many unknowns to draw anything conclusive (and are widely viewed as completely misleading). I'm sure you drive alongside 18 wheelers every single day. What do you think would happen if even an unladen flat-bed hit your Excursion (or whatever it is you drive)? It's not a matter of crashworthiness, it's simple physics in action. A 30,000 lb truck will demolish your puny 7,000 lb SUV in virtually any crash scenario. Should we all drive dump trucks to be safe? What you should be taking from that video, and the others linked to it, is that the crumple zone did its job, the airbag did its job, and the car took most of the energy out of the crash.
Beyond all of the car on car BS where the big car "wins", what do you have to say about agility and accident avoidance? How about crush capacity of the roof in the event of a roll? What about the ever-popular Big Mo that carries you right through the guardrail that would have stopped a smaller vehicle from flying off the overpass? When you hit an oak tree, or a telephone pole, or a concrete wall at 40 mph it doesn't matter how big or small your car is; they all return to zero mph in an instant. What matters is that the safety features of your vehicle perform the way they were intended and the save your life. Small cars are not dangerous. Driving is dangerous; it is the number one killer in every developed country, and it will continue to be until we all drive cars like this:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/14/foam-car-to-enter-auto-x-prize-competition/
Since that will never happen, please remember to buckle up, and don't crash your crown vic into my jetta; I don't need you to test your theory.
Swede 9:26AM (5/29/2009)
LOL downtoearth, you do realize that the north american Yaris is not the same car as the european Yaris?
Mark 10:44AM (5/29/2009)
I hate this conparison between big and small cars. I am looking out of the window of my office and there is 1 SUV and 25 small cars. I have more chance of beeing hit by a TIR than by an SUV.
Dave 6:02AM (6/22/2009)
Also keep in mind other crashtests done (Fiat 500 vs Audi Q7 which I seen today, I would not like to be in the small car)...
Small cars vs bigs shows poor performances most of the time...
required 9:04PM (5/28/2009)
The smaller the target the less likely you'll be hit. jk
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John Pelletier 12:26AM (5/29/2009)
uhh its Europe, everything is small (relative) there are no suburbans driving around, hell pickups are made my Mitsubishi (i didnt even know they made pickups O.o) however with proper tech and understanding of materials a small car wont survive an impact with a surburban but can allow its users to live, if with broken bits here and there, it is a suburban 3 ton whatever monster, only thing going to survive that is an Abrams Tank.
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Rahul 12:43AM (5/29/2009)
I can say that Honda Jazz and Hyundai i20 are among the most fuel efficient cars in the world. It is good to know that Euro NCAP differs from American safety standards which stresses on weight and size of the car.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
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Swede 9:24AM (5/29/2009)
The Suzuki Alto needs to have ESP and side airbags as standard, 3 stars is pitful.
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jim 9:26AM (5/29/2009)
If size were the only determinant of safety then SUVs and pickups would be the safest vehicles, but the Insurance Institute and DOT statistics show that this is not true.
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Luc 9:56PM (5/29/2009)
Quoted from IIHS press report:
"The death rate per million 1-3-year-old minis in single-vehicle crashes during 2007 was 35 compared with 11 per million for very large cars. Even in midsize cars, the death rate in single-vehicle crashes was 17 percent lower than in minicars."
"Some proponents of mini and small cars claim they're as safe as bigger, heavier cars.
But the claims don't hold up."
"Yet another claim is that minicars are easier to maneuver, so their drivers can avoid crashes in the first place. Insurance claims experience says otherwise. The frequency of claims filed for crash damage is higher for mini 4-door cars than for midsize ones."
Sure it's all stats and generalized. Let's hope no one gets in any accident but the mismatch simply exists especially in the US. In Europe there might be much more smaller cars but also bit more trucks on the freeways.
Note US Yaris is similar in size/structure to the Euro Yaris. Sure there's an even smaller Yaris in Europe.
To clarify though that IIHS doesn't say smaller cars are bad, but the previous energy policy encouraged manufacturers to produce more mismatched vehicles. They hope with the new energy policy (FE per vehicle classes) they could get more evenly matched (maybe, maybe not).
Rick 3:50PM (5/29/2009)
I wouldn't consider the Q5 small when compared to the other cars on the list.
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