Top Gear Euro NCAP results - scary

[Grey M@a]

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

Very true, but you get a shock when you are parked up at a meet and the panel sinks in as you keep forgetting when you lean on the car lol. At the end of the day the cars I have owned have not been considered on an NCAP rating. Been driving 7 years now and no so much as a scratch. Always alert always looking for ways out if the car in front decides to crash. Where as my brother has been driving for 3 years, never pays attention and to date has wrote off a clio in the back of a parked taxi, crashed into the Tesco wall down the road, and then mis judged a gap and ripped his wing mirror off and scratched the whole side of a car, he's a danger to the roads tbh.

[Butuz]

I think if i was buying a family car (for a family that i do not yet have lol) - i would definatly take in to consideration car safety.

BUT as it is, with just me in it? Nah. Who cares. Its luck isnt it? You might buy the most boaring car in the world for the sake of safety and the day after a chinook might crashland on your house? Whats the point? May as well buy a car you enjoy and love, instead.

I drove round in a mini for years, I mean if anyone so much as farted, I'd be dead in that. Still 'ere though! Touch wood!

Butuz

[Trippledence]

4* for the old Golf, not bad.

[Phuxd]

My jeep looks pretty safe!

[iranu]

cant seem to find polski fiat on there anywhere

God my dad had a Polski Fiat. I remember when I was little we were off to see my Grandparents and the bloody thing couldn't get up one of the big hills in High Wycombe, we had to take a longer, flatter route.

[Rave]

I learned to drive in a 2CV. I first took the wheel when I was 12 in my Grandad's field, we still had it when I turned 17 so I drove us all to school on the morning of my 17th birthday. The ridiculous thing is that my mum and brother used to refuse to even wear a seatbelt in it, although they've since changed their ways (rightly so, the silly b*stards ). Anyway that car was so weak a gap would apprear by the door frame if you caned it round a corner- my mum once got a thorough soaking on the motorway when someone drove through a puddle next to her- the water came into the car and splashed all across the inside of the windscreen.

We're all still alive. I nearly stacked it when I was 18, the first time I ever went on a motorway, trying to read a map while driving- the one and only time I ever tried that. I made it all the way down to Cornwall with it that day, 240 miles in 6 hours, and it only cost me £25 or something in petrol- 50mpg even when you bounced it off the redline for hours at a time.

[Nick F]

Talking about TG, did anyone see it tonight? Fantastic episode especially the radio show they did. I would love to download the complete broadcast.

[Ruggerbugger]

I thought Jeremy's traffic reports were hillarious I'd love to phone in to a show like that. I don't think many people got the joke though, I can't believe they'd really be that bad, especially Hammond.

[kalniel]

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.

What if safety features actually reduce weight? For example promoting lighter engines, making softer bonnets to better protect pedestrians etc.?

Defensive driving is fine for you, and against the odd other driver. But no amount of defensive driving will protect you against the drink driver, the underaged kid on drugs, the joyrider etc.

Me - I'll stick with my light astra, but with it's 4* rating, and especially good passenger protection I'll worry a bit less about driving my loved ones around.

[5lab]

i'm yet to hear of a safety innovation that saves weight in any way, shape or form..