Top Gear Euro NCAP results - scary

[chrestomanci]

Looking at the safety ratings of various cars, I am amazed that there are so many unsafe cars still on sale, and that many buyers are clearly not considering safety as part of their decision.

For an infamous example consider the Chrysler Voyager, which is aimed at families, who must surely be the most safety couscous group of buyers, and yet it is so unsafe that a 40mph bump (that could happened at any time due to some other nuttier) will probably kill the driver. Compare that with a competing safe MPV where everyone would walk away with only minor injuries.

For myself, when I chose a new car back in September, I looked at the Euro-NCAP site, and discounted a couple of cars I was considering because of their low scores. The car I eventually chose scored top marks in all areas.

Perhaps there should be further measures against less safe cars, by for example forcing dealers to tell potential customers that the car they are looking at is less safe in a crash.

[Lowe]

One thing to remember though, take the ratings with a pinch of salt. The tests themselves aren't always exactly 'real world' and building a car to pass an arbitary 'test' doesn't always make for a safe car...

[Howard]

A car with a rating of four stars is going to be safer than one with two though

[dave111]

very interesting.

[TheAnimus]

A car with a rating of four stars is going to be safer than one with two though

thats the problem, at hitting a block of concrete yes.

say you have something like a flatbed truck with scaffolding. Ramming that at low speed is very nasty, and ncap wouldn't begin to give you an idea of performance you'd expect from your car. You might find a 2 star is better than a 3 star.

[Steve A]

I know but NCAP is a guide and that is why they recommend how cars should be improved what they say is a recommmendation not law hence again why they are a guide. as you would probably agree, most fatal accidents occur from a front end smash, and the way they do there test is probably the most accurate way of testing this ... although i do agree with you in the sense that there can be all types of "accidents" ..

[Rave]

A car with a rating of four stars is going to be safer than one with two though

Yeah? What if all the safety features make it into a heavy, wobbly tank that can't brake hard or take evasive action quickly?

I frankly don't give a toss about Euro NCAP and I never will. I rely on my defensive driving to keep me safe on the road.

[midzt]

Couldn't find my car on the site, but looking at some of the cars that have been tested, im quite impressed by the detail that the .pdf's provide, i never knew they gave so much information, i always thought it was just a number of stars. Makes interesting browsing..

[Howard]

Yeah? What if all the safety features make it into a heavy, wobbly tank that can't brake hard

Have you found that a problem with modern cars? As I understand, braking technology has moved on along with safety

And yes, ramming a scaffolding lorry might send scaffolding poles through your windscreen, impaling you. But if you have a head on crash with someone/thing, that's when it counts..

[Rave]

Have you found that a problem with modern cars? As I understand, braking technology has moved on along with safety

Yes, in general I find them wobbly and heavy.

[Howard]

So you'd rather have an accident in a 1980's Escort than a brand new car? You'd trust it to be able to "evade danger" better? Right

[5lab]

while a higher star rating is generally a better sign, it doesnt tell the whole story. the ncap people conceed that its only testing a 40% overlap between 2 cars both going 40 in opposite directions.. as cars are now being designed with these tests in mind, another test (say 30% overlap) the car may end up completely useless

the lesser breaking is (probably) in relation to 4x4s which do not stop or steer as good as a propper car.

yes people dont pay attention, but one argument is why should they.. in your whole life theres probably a ~0.01% chance of being in the sort of collision that they test - is that risk really worth getting a car which is in other ways inferior? no. will defencive driveing always keep you out of trouble? no. i've myself been the driver in an accident very similar to what they test, but fortunately at lower speeds (anticipated it and braked) and with less overlap - everyone was fine - but would i necessarily buy a safe car next time? probably not. lifes all about risks.

[TheAnimus]

while a higher star rating is generally a better sign, it doesnt tell the whole story. the ncap people conceed that its only testing a 40% overlap between 2 cars both going 40 in opposite directions.. as cars are now being designed with these tests in mind, another test (say 30% overlap) the car may end up completely useless

the lesser breaking is (probably) in relation to 4x4s which do not stop or steer as good as a propper car.

yes people dont pay attention, but one argument is why should they.. in your whole life theres probably a ~0.01% chance of being in the sort of collision that they test - is that risk really worth getting a car which is in other ways inferior? no. will defencive driveing always keep you out of trouble? no. i've myself been the driver in an accident very similar to what they test, but fortunately at lower speeds (anticipated it and braked) and with less overlap - everyone was fine - but would i necessarily buy a safe car next time? probably not. lifes all about risks.

very good reply!

[Ruggerbugger]

The 2004 Clio does alright quite impressed the car is that safe considering the clio has plastic front panels that a fly could snap if it tried.

That's pretty much the point, the cars are designed to fall to bits when hit, each break dissipates the energy of the crash through the body of the car rather than the occupants

[Rave]

So you'd rather have an accident in a 1980's Escort than a brand new car? You'd trust it to be able to "evade danger" better? Right

Sure I would trust it to steer better. The heavier the car, the harder it is to get it to change direction. I'd bet a penny to a pound that your Cinquecento could lap a roundabout faster than your Megane and go through a slalom quicker, given similar compound tyres.

[Howard]

Sure I would trust it to steer better. The heavier the car, the harder it is to get it to change direction. I'd bet a penny to a pound that your Cinquecento could lap a roundabout faster than your Megane and go through a slalom quicker, given similar compound tyres.

Yeah, I know which one I'd rather crash in though....