Car Safety Ratings

Kevin2022

Hi, 

do you consider safety ratings when buying a car

I was looking at small family car A3, but according to Euroncap it only has 89% Adult occupant protection and 81% for child, which is really low for the money I would have to pay for the car. For example Skoda Scala which is also a small family car would be much cheaper and scored 97% for Adults and 87% for child protection. 

Am I missing something here as I would assume paying more for a car would mean getting safer car?

Thanks 

//Kevin 

Jenni_D

The devil is in the detail ... the ratings are also influenced by whatever safety assist features are present in the vehicle (lane assist, pedestrian warning etc.) - it's not just impact protection.

Sandtree

Kevin2022 said:

Am I missing something here as I would assume paying more for a car would mean getting safer car?

Why'd you assume that? Your often paying for better materials, more tech, lighter materials, bigger marketing budgets etc none of which automatically make a car any more safe (though potentially some could)

Grumpy_chap

Kevin2022 said:

Hi, 

do you consider safety ratings when buying a car

I was looking at small family car A3, but according to Euroncap it only has 89% Adult occupant protection and 81% for child, which is really low for the money I would have to pay for the car. For example Skoda Scala which is also a small family car would be much cheaper and scored 97% for Adults and 87% for child protection. 

Am I missing something here as I would assume paying more for a car would mean getting safer car?

Thanks 

//Kevin 

I'd buy the Skoda Scala - more bang for the buck!

Kevin2022

Sandtree said:

Kevin2022 said:

Am I missing something here as I would assume paying more for a car would mean getting safer car?

Why'd you assume that? Your often paying for better materials, more tech, lighter materials, bigger marketing budgets etc none of which automatically make a car any more safe (though potentially some could)

Yeah, exactly what you said there "paying for better materials, more tech " I thought it would be safer but not the A3, in fact I am pretty sure if it had scored 80% instead of 81 it would only get 4 star overall rating. 


Thanks all for your comments

Bigwheels1111

My 2016, 5008 had 5 stars.
Now would probably only get 2-3 stars as does not have Lane assistance etc.
Its still a 5 star car.

I would go with the Skoda, cheaper to buy, service and reliability.
For 20 years every cab driver used a Skoda, then Prius and now MG EV.

born_again

No.
Cars only ever get 5* now if they are loaded with masses of tech. It does not make them any safer when you hit a solid object at speed.

Sandtree

born_again said:

No.
Cars only ever get 5* now if they are loaded with masses of tech. It does not make them any safer when you hit a solid object at speed.

but surely better to have tech that means you dont hit the solid object at speed in the first place?

Bonniepurple

Sandtree said:

born_again said:

No.
Cars only ever get 5* now if they are loaded with masses of tech. It does not make them any safer when you hit a solid object at speed.

but surely better to have tech that means you dont hit the solid object at speed in the first place?

You mean shouldn’t hit the solid object.  Bearing in mind that my youngest car is a 2014 van style vehicle (Peugeot Expert Independence), I’ve not come across things like lane assist- however I do come across a lot of more modern cars being driven badly.  In fact, go and have a look at CoPart at the Cat Bs.  Loads of modern cars there.

Tech can be wonderful but it’s only ever as good as the idiot behind the wheel!

born_again

Sandtree said:

born_again said:

No.
Cars only ever get 5* now if they are loaded with masses of tech. It does not make them any safer when you hit a solid object at speed.

but surely better to have tech that means you dont hit the solid object at speed in the first place?

As post above. Tech does not stop you hitting anything.... When the human throttle interface fails.🤣

How many cars have Autonomous Emergency Braking, yet still manage to hit the car in front?