Are German cars safer than Japanese or American cars?

[John105]

More fun to drive too. I haven't driven a VW in nearly 10 years but I miss the on center "dead spot" that the steering had. Took a while to stop wandering like a drunken monkey in my Toyota's (and probably still do).

lol yes.....my BMW is a 2007 and by today's standards, the steering is "broken." It's so heavy and every little input the vehicle responds. Hardly any good in 2025 when we're of the mindset that we want hands off the wheel so we can "super cruise." The last BMW 3 loaner that I had was a 2021, and I think it was better than a 2016 which I had for months due to Takata, but it's hard to make a case where electric power steering is better than hydraulic other than energy conservation.

When I test drove the Lexus RX 350-L (whatever year it came out), I was able to turn the steering from lock to lock at a dead stop, with my pinkie. Again, I get it, it's what people want. That steering wheel is sure annoying and one day engineers are going to find a way to get rid of it in cars. It can still be fun, just allow the car to pair with this

p.s. for real, I have a 30 yo coworker (bright guy he came from Google). When I was telling people I'm used to looking over my shoulder when backing up, and using a clutch as my daily driver has no screens, he said, "Yeah, I mean back in 1998 they didn't really have cams, right?" Meanwhile my car is a E92 lol

 

[John105]

If memory serves me, one can go back to the early 70s, and Volvos had 4 wheel disc brakes and 3 point shoulder belts front and rear. GMs could have 4 wheel drums, and power front discs was a sign of a car that wasn't base. A separate shoulder belt got tucked above the front doors and folded when not in use (100% of the time).

My first car was a 244DL, 4 speed manual with ice cold air and rust perforation through the fenders, all 4 doors, and both rear 1/4's. But I loved it.

 

[jsean]

I stand corrected, and I'm amazed.


Undeniably true (and most of it Bosch-developped).
However, the Swedes were at the frontlines for lower technology, safety at scale stuff that was easy to pick up by other manufacturers should they have wanted it. And fast to integrate developments made by others.

Safety belts (originally by Nash) as stock equipment - Saab. Ignition key that your knee doesn't crash into - Saab. Strong body, etc, etc. Not taking away from MB one bit, just pointing out that the Swedes were hellbent on safety too, if in a more simplistic way.

Good points. I’m pretty sure Volvo was the first with side airbags in collaboration with Autoliv. The 850 in 1994 was the first MY to get standard side airbags (SIPS).

Iirc, BMW got side airbags standard in 1998-99 on the 5 and 7 series. Might be off by a year or two…

All the firsts by Volvo:
Volvo safety 1sts

 

[John105]

I consider HID xenon to be a safety feature.
Contrast that to blinding LED of 2025. Pretty sure BMW was the first.

Lincoln also comes to mind.

Who knowingly installs blinding LEDs today? Subaru is #1 imho, Toyota is #2. Seem to have zero regard for oncoming traffic.

 

[Panda87]

I consider HID xenon to be a safety feature.
Contrast that to blinding LED of 2025. Pretty sure BMW was the first.

Lincoln also comes to mind.

Who knowingly installs blinding LEDs today? Subaru is #1 imho, Toyota is #2. Seem to have zero regard for oncoming traffic.

Honda is at the forefront. We had 2019s; an odyssey and an insight. They used a multi-projector spread system all with LEDs. I could see amazingly, nobody I was facing could. I can now always spot someone driving a Honda of that vintage when they are facing me. My ‘21 Goldwing had the same system. People flashed their brights at me constantly on that bike. The light spread was bar none the best I’ve ever had on a motorcycle. The “daymaker” LED system on my Harley Limited looks like a POS spot beam from the pilot seat compared to that Wing’s headlights.

I’ve noticed that Subie and Yota at least try to angle them in a way that doesn’t irritate everyone you’re facing, lol.

 

[supton]

As a Toyota driver I’m not sure what you are talking about…

Can I deflect this by complaining about F150 headlights?

 

[MCompact]

My 1973 Bavaria had three point inertia reel harnesses, four wheel discs, IRS and an SOHC inline six.
That said, I don't think that I have ever consulted the IIHS safety rankings before I purchased a vehicle.

 

[IndyIan]

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model
Scrolling through these turns up some interesting results, but you also have to consider the average driver of a specific vehicle.
Don't ask me how a 17-20 WRX has a lower death rate than Mercedes CLA 2017-20, but it did.

If you need to generalize, for non-luxury brands, VW, Toyota, and Subaru seem to have some safe cars, or safe drivers. Stellantis, Nissan, Hyundai/Kia, don't do very well....

Lots of EV's have low death rates, but they tend to be urban cars/second cars.

 

[John105]

Not sure how statistically valid the list is. If you took my commute route it doesn’t matter what vehicle is driven death rate is going to be higher due to guns not the vehicle itself. A crash due to being shot likely still is included. But it in no way deems a car less safe.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Our 2021 Lex RX450h F Sport has been pretty darn safe. Of course it has around 10,000 miles and sits in the locked garage at our house that is 90 miles away...

Gotta love statistics. Ya gotta look deeper...