2-dr car safety

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JHZR2

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Bummer they didnt test the BMW 1-series in this group.

2-door small cars get good marks in crash tests


Quote:
Small in stature, a group of 2009 two-door cars are providing good safety value to car shoppers, according to crash tests released Tuesday.

The Ford Focus and Volvo C30 received top scores in front-end, side and rear crash tests, according to tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Two-door versions of the Chevrolet Cobalt and Honda Civic, meanwhile, received top scores in front-end tests and the second-highest rating in side tests. The Civic received the top score in the rear test while the Cobalt has not yet been tested for rear crash protection.

The Scion tC, which is manufactured by Toyota Motor Corp., received the second-highest score of acceptable in both the front-end and side tests. It received the second-lowest rating of marginal in the rear crash test.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
*Awaits the I must drive a F-350 to work in order to be safe comments*


Well, you can get an F-350 with 2 doors! :)
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
*Awaits the I must drive a F-350 to work in order to be safe comments*

grin2.gif
 
I would rather be in a F-350 than any of those cars mentioned in a crash. JMO.
 
Originally Posted By: mcrn
I would rather be in a F-350 than any of those cars mentioned in a crash. JMO.


If I had a chance of avoiding a crash by maneuvering, I'd rather be in a BMW 1-series than any pickup. . .
 
Agreed with ekpolk...but if I were to get nailed by a drunk driver, with no chance for avoidance, I would rather be in F-350....

That said, I love my Focus and feel its very safe when you factor in agility and braking.
 
Why do two-door cars have to be so small? Or, to put it another way, why do the manufacturers only give us two-door models in the compact cars?

A full-sized car like a Lincoln Town Car, if they made a coupe, would be much safer.
 
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Why do two-door cars have to be so small? Or, to put it another way, why do the manufacturers only give us two-door models in the compact cars?

A full-sized car like a Lincoln Town Car, if they made a coupe, would be much safer.


Not all 2-door cars are small. The Challenger is 198" long, larger than a mid-sized SUV and bigger than most sedans. The Sebring, Camaro, Mustang and Accord coupes are also large
 
02 Accord Coupe V6 is huge and actuall is longer than many midsize SUVs. It is a beast of a car and will stand up. It is the car I trust but mine get horrible gas mileage, especially in city.
 
IIHS (who is quoted by the OP) test results are based on fixed-barrier crashes. When small cars are involved in crashes with large vehicles in the real world, the results are quite different.

From the IIHS:
New crash tests demonstrate the influence of vehicle size and weight on safety in crashes; results are relevant to fuel economy policies

ARLINGTON, VA — Three front-to-front crash tests, each involving a microcar or minicar into a midsize model from the same manufacturer, show how extra vehicle size and weight enhance occupant protection in collisions. These Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests are about the physics of car crashes, which dictate that very small cars generally can't protect people in crashes as well as bigger, heavier models.

IIHS "Laws of Physics Prevail"
 
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Originally Posted By: robbobster
IIHS (who is quoted by the OP) test results are based on fixed-barrier crashes. When small cars are involved in crashes with large vehicles in the real world, the results are quite different.

From the IIHS:
New crash tests demonstrate the influence of vehicle size and weight on safety in crashes; results are relevant to fuel economy policies

ARLINGTON, VA — Three front-to-front crash tests, each involving a microcar or minicar into a midsize model from the same manufacturer, show how extra vehicle size and weight enhance occupant protection in collisions. These Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests are about the physics of car crashes, which dictate that very small cars generally can't protect people in crashes as well as bigger, heavier models.

IIHS "Laws of Physics Prevail"



Exactly. I wish tests would reveal this more. I think a lot of people do think they are safe in little cars because they score a five star rating.
 
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: mcrn
I would rather be in a F-350 than any of those cars mentioned in a crash. JMO.


If I had a chance of avoiding a crash by maneuvering, I'd rather be in a BMW 1-series than any pickup. . .




Then a motorcycle would be safer yet.
 
I would think that 4-dr cars are safer with the added B-pillar.

I remember the 4-dr version of my Omni was lighter than the 2-dr model. I'm sure it had something to do with occupant safety being easier to accomplish on a car with a B-pillar.
 
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