Urban Coyote Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 I was just wondering what everyones take was on the saftey of Subaru's vs other popular cars such as Honda's, Toyota's and others? I'm not thinking about the advantages of AWD, but more along the lines of crashes etc. What are peoples experiences in these areas? I've read many of the crash test results, but I'm curious to know about real world experiences?? Thanks! Urban Coyote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robb1 Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 I was just wondering what everyones take was on the saftey of Subaru's vs other popular cars such as Honda's, Toyota's and others? I'm not thinking about the advantages of AWD, but more along the lines of crashes etc. What are peoples experiences in these areas? I've read many of the crash test results, but I'm curious to know about real world experiences?? Thanks! Urban Coyote Although your not talking about the AWD advantage..it is possibly one good reason you will not be involved in a crash in the first place. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngenx Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 At least for 2000 and later models, Subaru models do very well in passive safety tests. The IIHS off-set test is a good indicator of structural strength and passenger cell protection, and Subarus do well. Also, the Forester is not required to carry the "SUV will roll-over" decal, as it won't roll over like an SUV. My insurance company classifies the Forester as a "stationwagon" and we get an excellent rate with no SUV-surcharge. As far as active safety goes, Subarus are pretty good. They handle quite well (even the "tall" ones), but I wish they had better brakes. Both our Forester and OBW's brakes are mushy and ineffective compared to the German cars we've owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Check the government crash test ratings they're less subjective then we are. www.nhtsa.gov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 Let's see a Honda/Toyota etc keep the driver alive in this WRX vs. Two tractor trailers. here is that NASIOC thread http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=527529 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Clark Posted March 15, 2005 Share Posted March 15, 2005 My wifes' uncle and aunt were killed in a head on collision while driving a Subie Legacy. The cabin was pretty much intact, but their bodies still didn't take that rapid deceleration very well. It doesn't matter what you are in at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I have not been able to find much safety data on 1996-1999 Legacy Sedans. been to a bunch of websites, including the NHSTA and didn't find anything. anyone got any good links? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I have not been able to find much safety data on 1996-1999 Legacy Sedans. been to a bunch of websites, including the NHSTA and didn't find anything. anyone got any good links? http://automallusa.net/01/subaru/ratings.html nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I was just wondering what everyones take was on the saftey of Subaru's vs other popular cars such as Honda's, Toyota's and others? I'm not thinking about the advantages of AWD, but more along the lines of crashes etc. What are peoples experiences in these areas? I've read many of the crash test results, but I'm curious to know about real world experiences?? Thanks! Urban Coyote Real World http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=932 That was stopped at a red light. Got hit in the rear by a a Dodge Stratus at 55 mph. I have back prblems (two surgeries maybe a third) but I am here and can walk. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 okay i did find that site, but i could not find out what those numbers meant. i'm sure it's there somewhere but they had no definition, scale or comparision to other vehicles that i could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I clicked on audis of the same year and found numbers to compare. This breaks it down into stars http://www.internetautoguide.com/index.html http://www.safecarguide.com/exp/archive/idx.htm That decpihpers them better. Newer then 1998 i think can be found on the NHTSA website Odd you didnt try the goverment website first, its right there http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/ nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Odd you didnt try the goverment website first, its right therehttp://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/ i did, my ealier post: been to a bunch of websites, including the NHSTA i didn't see anything. all of the sites i visited had horrible layouts. i'll try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I think these cars overall ARE strong, but what can not be predicited is if your body can take such hard force. Like if you were in a car that will NOT crumple NO MATTER what, if you hit a solid cement wall, you can still die, because the vehicle needs to withstand some of that impact! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 As the parachutest would say, its not the fall that kills you, its the sudden stop. There is a point where yes, you wont break any bones, your brain will survive, but the rest of th organs in your body arent as well protected. They can only take so much decelleration so fast. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 my insurance company sent out a comprehensive list of vehicles. it showed the actual injury claims per accident per vehicle...adjusted somehow. unfortunately i don't have it any more. it created a base number of 100 and anything under that reflected a lower number of injury claims for that vehicle relative to others. i'd like actual statistics like that better than stars. maybe i'll call my insurance company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 okay i did find that site, but i could not find out what those numbers meant. i'm sure it's there somewhere but they had no definition, scale or comparision to other vehicles that i could find. i dont get it either, i mean side impact is 8? out of 5? http://automallusa.net/1993/subaru/legacy/ratings.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 right on nipper. i've always driven XT6's and have never read or paid any attention to safety, air bags, side impact blah blah blah. wanted to check it out as i get ready to put a legacy on the road too. actually the publication my insurance company sent was an interesting read, that's what got me thinking about it. thanks for the links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Well I can attest to the strength of a 98 legacy v. a deer at 70mph. I wasn't even sore afterward. Just mad as hell. Replaced hood, fender, headlight, and turn signal. After I paint it in the spring it won't even show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 They are tough. I have put them through trees(4ft springy mesquite trees) and off ~3ft cliffs (98 legacy) with no major damage (cracked a headlight) and no discomfort to the passenger or myself. A guy made an oncomming left in front of me. He was in a 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I was in a 1982 GL Wagon. I hit him in the passenger door at ~35mph, with enough force that my car bounced and was facing the opposite direction I was travelling. His car was Taco shaped and ~50ft away. The glass in his car shattered so badly there was glass removed from my left ear canal. None of the glass in my Subaru was broken. The seatbelt stretched, allowing my head to hit the dash/steering wheel and cause minor frontal lobe damage. It took me about two weeks to stop stuttering. No memory loss or anything though. I'm not sure what I cut my knee on.. but that's because I took the dash trim out. The spare tires I had in the back crushed the backseat-back flat. That would have caused some serious back problems to any passengers, I luckily had none. I basically walked away from that accident. They did take me to the hospital via ambulance, but I was only there for ~15 minutes. I only did that because I had full coverage with progressive. All of the Subarus I see wrecked in the junkyards the cabin is always intact.. even the roll-over ones. I have seen 'not good' ones where people went through the windshield, etc. But not wearing your belt is your own fault. I have seen, in person, much less pleasant things from other types of vehicles. I've rarely ever seen a badly burned Subaru. My favorite thing about the Subaru: In a front end collision the drivetrain is forced UNDER the car instead of INTO the car. Thanks. -Eli- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Being "tough" is not a good thing. The cabin should be tough, everything else should be fairly soft, so as to decrease acceleration rates body organs have to cope with. I am surprised how little damage nipper's car has in the back for 55mph hit. I'm no specialist in safety design, maybe its the fuel tank in the back, that needs to stay undamaged or smth, but from going to junk yards fairly often I'd expect more damage for that description of accident. And yeah, adjust your headrests to proper height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Being "tough" is not a good thing. The cabin should be tough, everything else should be fairly soft, so as to decrease acceleration rates body organs have to cope with. I am surprised how little damage nipper's car has in the back for 55mph hit. I'm no specialist in safety design, maybe its the fuel tank in the back, that needs to stay undamaged or smth, but from going to junk yards fairly often I'd expect more damage for that description of accident. And yeah, adjust your headrests to proper height. Its even more bizzare, the other driver drove away in his own car. I would bet there was a lot of damage under the front bumper skin, but none that was reported to any insurance company. You can't see it, but the entire car is twisted. The left rear corner took the brunt of the hit. The passenger copmpartment stayed in tact, amazingly so. The car was driveable for another three weeks, then the AWD started clunking. The nose was rebuilt in January from being hit while parked. The hood was no longer square, nor were the front fenders. There is less damage then one would expect because i took my foot off the brake pedal right before impact (i still have nightmares from seeing him coming at me). nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Its even more bizzare, the other driver drove away in his own car. I would bet there was a lot of damage under the front bumper skin, but none that was reported to any insurance company.You can't see it, but the entire car is twisted. I'm pretty sure it is twisted, with a lot damage, but the fact that it looks ok means that the body acted like a spring, loading first and unloading after, accelerating you, where as it should have adsorbed the impact energy and and used it to deform the body. There is less damage then one would expect because i took my foot off the brake pedal right before impact (i still have nightmares from seeing him coming at me). nipper I don't think this technique helps you, but it explains why the other guy was able to drive away. When you are on brakes - for a couple of milliseconds friction in your tires holds you in place, with the energy going to deformation of your car, not acceleration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrim 54 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 One of the things everyone SHOULD do when considering any vehicle purchase is pull sample VINs from similar rides you're interested in, then take them to your insurance provider. Suddenly a sweet deal might not be such... Realizing you're going to have to pay those costs year after year. Insurance premiums are a great indicator of real safety as the provider is EXTREMELY biased and bases their rates on the true cost of claims in the past. Their premiums are simply a matter of business. When I purchased our '05 OBW I used this method and it worked well. When the agent looked up the OBW her reaction was one of disbelief! She wondered outloud how the premium of an auto in the price range of a new OBW could be so low. To me anyway that spoke volumes about safety comparrisons with other manufactures. The insurer base their premiums on ALL factors. In other words not just personal injury but costs of property damage as well as repairs. Something to think about. She told me that it is surprising how many people don't even consider the cost of insuring a vehicle in their chioce of a new car. Pilgrim 54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 One of the things everyone SHOULD do when considering any vehicle purchase is pull sample VINs from similar rides you're interested in, then take them to your insurance provider. ... To me anyway that spoke volumes about safety comparrisons with other manufactures. Biggest safety factor is not the car, but the driver. People tend to self select into different cars, and insurance premium you get for particular car does not tell much about the safety equipment of the car itself. Just compare regular Impreza and WRX rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photo2001 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Forbes, 2007 safest cars. http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2006/04/28/safestcars-acura-volvo_cx_dl_0501feat.html 2007 least safe cars. http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2006/10/30/safety-cars-airbags-forbeslife-vehicles-cx_dl_1031lsafe.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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