Whats the safest make of car?

Question

Hi, a friend told me that Saabs are a very safe make of car (as in if you get into an accident they're more robust) and I mentioned that my 17 yr old brother (just passed his test and fairly easily distracted!) drives my mum's Nissan Micra, and she said Nissans crumple easily in accidents. So does anyone know how true this is - are some cars more robust than others and would they protect you more in an accident?

Answer 1

I looked into this a lot when I bought my first car two years ago. Some cars are much safer in accidents, and some are known to be lethal (the Fiat Cinquecento is a good example.) You can get lots of information at your local library. Try reading through WhatCar magazines there, and look out for NCAP safety ratings. These are scores given to cars based on their performance in accidents. You can get models where they show a figure seated in the car, and colour code areas of risk for the body, ie red feet means your feet are at high risk in an accident in a certain car.
In general, Volkswagons are very sturdy (particularly Golfs). I found the best price/safety result was the older style Renault Clio, which gets 4 stars (out of 5) and is quite cheap to buy and insure for younger drivers. The new style Clio gets a full 5 stars.

Answer 2

I drive a Landrover for this reason. I have 3 kids and a dog so need something big enough and yeah it may not be the fastest or slickest looking vehicle but if ever I get smashed into by a boy racer in his top of the range sports car, I know who will walk away unscathed!
Saab are a good vehicle, though.Go onto Google and type in crash tests you should find a link to most cars there, and he can make a choice.

Answer 3

Manufacturers have finally admitted that only the top of the range models have all the safety equipment fitted as standard, so a car adverised as 5 star rating for top models could only be a 3 or 4 star rating for less well equipped ones. So you pays your money & takes your choice. Instead of a Nissan Micra, try to get a late model ford fiesta - 4* rating

Answer 4

Most modern cars protect well in accidents.
You can see how well many cars perform in a crash at the EuroNCAP site (http://www.euroncap.com/ )

The current Nissan Micra is based on the same platform as the Renault Clio, and Renault have been one of the safest brands since their collaboration with Volvo in the early 1990s.

The Swedish brands (Volvo and Saab) have always been very safe, but the rest of the mainstream brands have caught up significantly since EuroNCAP testing was introduced.

Answer 5

Saabs tend to be very safe because they of the trouble they got into during their early years in Sweden. Them and Volvo. Both are safe as bank vaults, but neither are that reliable. Safe all depends mostly on car shape, material, and safety equipment. The Micra is small so it is not as safe as a Tank. A good decision might be to get your brother a Kia or Hyundai. They are safe and so so on reliability, not to mention, they are inexpensive. Good Luck and do your research...Check Link

Answer 6

I just wanted to say that goldfishvase has absolutely NO idea what she is talking about...nor does ANY person who thinks it is a good idea to buy a Prius or any other hybrid for that matter. These batteries only have a lifespan of about six or seven years...Here's one for the greenies to figure out! What are we supposed to do with all those batteries AFTER they no longer work...Can you say "Erin Brockovich?"

But to answer your question, ANY OTHER car made by Toyota has a high safety standard. Also, Hondas are quality safety cars. On a personal note, I owned a Honda Civic and was rear-ended by an eighteen wheeler with my then three month old son in the backseat and my husband (who had already had one cervical spine surgery) going down I-95 and we all LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT!

Consumer Reports lists Honda and Toyota cars above ANYTHING else in safety! In fact, MOST of the cars that are the safest AREN'T American! And don't forget about the danger that hybrid cars are going to pose for the environment once their batteries are no longer useful...Protect the environment...DON'T BUY A HYBRID!See for yourself! Here's the link!

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/types/ratings.htm

Answer 7

I would say the Citreon Picasso is REALLY safe because its spacious, has windows all around the driver for full view of the road and its dashboard is in the radio screen. It shows our speed digitally. Worth the money.

Answer 8

It realy depends on the make & model. At the moment the Fiat Grande Punto has got the best N'cap score for a 'Supermini'.

Answer 9

the national highway and traffic safety institute with consumer reports have released videos and reports on just this subject...saab has traditionally been one of the best ...ford is now the leader in safety...with most vehicles receiving a 5 star rating...

Answer 10

It depends what you mean by safest car. If you look at the Euro NCAP site - they do the tests that we see on TV and that the manufacturers adhere to -They rate cars based on different factors ie. Driver safety, passenger safety and pedestrian safety.