German Car Zone

Oh boy....this was to be expected IMO.

Honda's are designed regarding a crash with other cars in mind and it still didn't matter.

A small car is just that a small car. Unless you want a Smart of Fit to weigh 3500lbs or be superlight with exotic materias (which will make it cost too much) then something has to give.

I think people know this when they buy a little cars like these, that they aren't going to get S-Class or Volvo S80 levels of safety in a crash.

What I find equally ridiculous is to suggest that there is some type of conspiracy to force Americans into larger cars. Gas is cheap again, hell they're already doing that, at least those that can buy.

The ongoing crap about how Americans are this and American are that on this board is some triffling bullshit.


M

C'mon .. Protectionistic spirit is quite high in the States right now ... and also some other countries around the world.

USA are still the (economic) superpower - and thus much more criticized than some other countries - mainly due its huge influence & responsibility coming with that. It's a natural thing. Accepting critics with no high emotions should be (natural9 as well in this case.

****

And btw, why's IIHS only pointing out foreign cars in this test? A coincident? I don't think so.

C'mon what?

Again, do you know of any other cars this small by American manufacturers besides the Chevy Aveo? Ford and Chrysler don't have anything as small as a FIT or Smart. Thats why.

Do you know anything about the U.S. market and what is one sale here?

They often test a bunch of similar cars at once....that is how they've been doing it for years.

All this political, conspiracy stuff is bullshit plain and simple.

"Protectionistic spirit"? If you knew the ratings they've given a lot of American cars through the years you'd know that this position is horse poop.


So now crash testing is part of the conspiracy theory to keep the U.S. car industry alive............*****When******* gasoline is cheap and people aren't buying nearly as many Fits and Yaris' as they were a year ago.

Make sense.


M

Eh ...

Smaller cars, smaller engines, less emissions & fuel consumption. A simple formula. A formula winning more & more hearts in mind in US political mindset.

Of course - as you said - US carmakers can't offer any small car since they can only produce big, thirsty & dirty cars. Which fits oil companies particularly well.

And then IIHS comes with a "study" how unsafe the small cars are.

Why not present results in all the segments? Eg. How a mid-size sedan fares against large sedan or an SUV. How large sedan / SUV fares against a bus. How a pick-up truck fares against a large truck etc.

How a cabrio fares against a crossover ... How an SUV fares against an SUV?

This "study" bing presented at this particular time has an agenda. When it comes to such communication there are no coincidences ... There is a reason behind this action. And I'm afraid that ain't a concern about passenger safety. IMO the oil companies are behind that - using IIHS to spread a fear about small cars. "People, better buy a large thirsty car - it's more safe (and brings us more money)."

You just don't get it because you're too busy looking for some BS conspiracy theory.

Again, American car makers don't make cars as small as the Smart/Fit/Yaris. They only car that small sold under and American brand is the Chevy Aveo.

Americans do make small cars, Focus, Cobalt, Caliber, etc, but they aren't micro/small like a Yaris or Smart and they aren't "thirsty" either.

Why is this so difficult to understand?

Again, do you know anything about anything else sold in the American market besides BMW's lineup? A resounding absolutely NOT.

Yeah, some small cars...the really small ones. If they were after all small foreign cars they'd include Mini too, but guess what..they didn't.


You're posting bullshit plain and simple. You don't even know what is sold here, nor do you understand the agency doing the testing.

Crash testing smaller cars with bigger ones (something that can happen in the real world) is some part of an "agenda" to point out that small foreign cars aren't safe?

BS. If this concept is so suspect and foreign they why do the makers of these cars do the same tests in-house? Again, this is some bs of the highest order.


One of the most ridiculous things I've read here in a long time.

So you're telling me you aren't at a disadvantage in a car like a Smart when a large car like a S550 runs into you? Ditto for a Yaris and a Camry?


M

samrt is about 110" long, Fit is 153", and Yaris 169". Only the smart is really small. Others are not ... Eg. Audi A3 Sportback is 165". MINI 145" etc



It's the same disadvantage when faring a large sedan against a large SUV or a pick-up. Or an SUV / pick-up vs a bus or a truck. Go figure.

Also: it would be interesting to compare eg. car accident death rate or severe injury rates in US (only large cars present mainly) with some other country where there are as many small cars as large cars in the streets.

Again, for the 3rd time these cars are smaller than most "small" American cars, only the Chevy Aveo is this small. Third time stating this. The Ford Focus is 175 inches long. Chevy Cobalt is even larger.

Now since the Smart is the really small one and it is but a spec on the sale charts where does the conspiracy come in at? Again, the Fit and Yaris are down in sales this year last I checked so why all of sudden is this urgency to deride them and paint them as unsafe?

Why isn't the Mini included is this consiparcy?


Not it isn't. A large sedan like an S-Class getting hit bya SUV or pick up isn't the same as you getting hit by a Camry or C-Class in a Smart.

Even a lot of midsize sedans today provide excellent crash protection against larger vehicles.

So no the disadvantage isn't exactly the same. Still a disadvantage for sure, but not the same as getting creamed in a Smart or Yaris.


You're grasping at straws here. Period.


M

Figure why small cars are good for all the other markets around the world - except for the US market.

This "study" is completely hostile against small cars.
Saying: "Yes, small cars are efficient but unsafe. Is it really worth to scarify safety for fuel efficiency?"

Ask yourself why such a message at this time.

Timing is a very important for an efficient communication. Believe me.

It's not a coincidence.


PS: and btw, try to crash C-class directly into an Escalade and survive.

So basically you're going to ignore facts to keep the conspiracy nonsense going. Figures.

There is no communcation. It is crash test of similar cars like they do year in and year out.

Who is giving out or perpetuating this "message"?

Funny how Ford and Chevy are scrambling to get their smaller cars here. Yet the "message" being sent out is that small cars are unsafe to protect the U.S. industry. Makes perfect sense.


Poof! Theory (BS) totally debunked and exposed for what is.


Somebody better tell Ford and Chevy not to bother with bringing their smaller cars here.


I'd rather be in a C-Class than a Smart or Yaris when crashing into a larger vehicle. You think a C-Class is going to crumple the same way a Smart or Yaris does? Again, you're at a disadvantage in a C-Class vs an Escalade, but you're in a worse one in a Smart or Yaris vs a Camry/C-Class. Take a Smart or Yaris in that accident with an Escalade and tell me what you think will happen then. Another real-world scenario.

The only "message" being given here is that smaller cars don't fare well against larger cars. In reality on American roads if you drive a Smart or Yaris or Fit a Camry/Accord/C-Class are the least of your worries.

Secondly this isn't the first time they've done these type of tests.

Smaller car, larger car crash testing has been done before by the same agency and yes the concern then was about cars and suvs and the results and conclusions were the same....small vehicles don't fare as well when hit by larger vehicles.

When they did this type of crash testing before it included both foreign and domesic cars.....so where is the conspiracy in that? Let me guess, the "message" then was to buy SUVS to keep Chrysler/Ford/GM running? Right?

Nothing but BS plain and simple. You don't have a clue as to what you're talking about.


M

Oh come on! Europeans still love Americans. We're almost the same, and only a few thing differ. One thing for example is that Americans suck at making cars They are better of with spaceships and stuff, that's what they're better at than Europeans