Euro ncap 5 car vs car

kfw_2

Hi

If 2 cars had a collision and were both Euro ncap rated 5.

Would the law of physics (weight impacting weight) then decide which set of drivers and passengers could come off better. i.e. say a Toyota IQ crashed head-on into a BMW 530. Obviously there are many external factors when it comes to accidents, so it’s just a generalisation.



Just wanted to know if there are any results on this type of scenario as it will help me decide what sort of car to get next (young kids in tow.....)



Thanks,

Herzlos

I believe the NCAP tests are done with a head on colision with a car within about 10% of the weight, so IQ Vs IQ and 530 Vs 530.

I'd imagine then that the 530 would come off better due to the larger crumple zones, but I don't have any evidence to back that up.

AdrianC

NCAP collision testing is done into a standardised stationary object.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE_eUP_BAcU

No, you can't compare 5* supermini to 5* big luxury directly, because - yes - mass plays a part. If you hit a tree or a wall in a big heavy car, it will be a much bigger collision, with much more energy to dissipate, than doing the same from the same speed in a small car. Likewise, if you hit a small light car with a big heavy car, there's more energy going into the small car.

The simplest solution, of course, is not to hit things, and to stay out of the way of other people's collisions. Yes, it sounds trite, but it really IS down to you, the driver, to give yourself the biggest improvement in road safety.

jase1

The IIHS in America did some tests of this type. Results not good for the smaller car (both vehicles were US NCAP 5* rated, so although it's not completely equivalent to Euro NCAP it's as near as dammit in terms of the principle):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQg8qOhaq2s

forgotmyname

One of the car shows did a head on crash test between 2 identical cars. One car with a driver only and the other was either lowered or lowered by having 5 passengers and luggage.

The lower car came off worse in the impact as the crash bars went underneath the crashbars on the higher car.

Goes to show that the crash tests can not be a sure way to have a supersafe car. Its possible that you may hit something with the crash bars 2 inches higher that yours and your vehiclewill ride under it and deform very badly.

Also reminds me of the old VW Golf crash test. Crashed in a larger and heavier 4x4. Both drivers would probably not have survived.

Richard53

Damage and injury are caused through the rate of deceleration of the vehicle you are in. Rapid deceleration = lots of damage to the vehicle and injury to the occupants. The car with the greater mass will decelerate slower, and the lighter car quicker, than if the cars were the same mass. All other things being equal, it's better to be in a big, heavy car than a small, light one.

However, many 4x4s are tall and are more likely to roll over in a crash, so the jury's out on which is 'safer'.

Crash testing is done against a solid object for consistency and comparison purposes, but most crashes are with other vehicles, and the factors involved are too complex to be predictable in the lab.