Tips on Buying Cars: Car Safety Help

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
Thanks for taking my question, it is sincerely needed and appreciated. I wanted to ask about safety in cars.

I have been using the NHTSA and IIHS resources to look up safety information. I understand how that 5-star/”Good” ratings are ideal, but I am hoping to get more detail on that.

Firstly, bigger is better when it comes to car safety (generally speaking). Basic physics. What I am wondering is, how do you compare car ratings between car classes (ie. Are 5-star ratings in a small car better, worse or the same as 4-star ratings in a mid-size)? It is all a bit confusing to me, but from what I read on sites like edmunds, truecar, etc., even the safest small cars (Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, etc.) still have a safety liability due to their low size/mass.

Budget is an issue for me, and 5-star/”Good” rated mid-size cars cost more than 5-star/”Good” small cars. If I have to prioritize one, do I go for the 4-star/”moderate” rated mid-size car or the 5-star/”Good” rated small car?

Secondly, I will often see a car on IIHS with a “Good” rating, which is their highest, in a particular feature, for example the small overlap front. However, when you view the safety report, it will state things like “The seat belt allowed too much forward motion, causing the head to slam into the front column”, “Survival space was not well maintained and presented significant threat of injury to passengers”. Things like that. How can a vehicle receive a “Good” in a category with that sort of result? How am I supposed to interpret this sort of contradiction?

Thank you for your time and assistance, John

ANSWER: John:First question:All cars though the NHSA are done with same size class of car.(Honda Fit vs.Nissan Versa,for example)With the tests there is no rating with a different class comparing each other.
Each class of cars that are tested for safety is separate from each other.

Secondly,the rating from IINS,is fully explained from their website.
My opinion is that the rating might confuse you,however consider what test they did to reach that rating.
Remember,autos are designed by people and for people.
With all the safety features,seat belts,airbags,ect. that are found in cars,the auto makers are still far from being perfect in terms of saving lives.
And also the driver can correct that,in better driving habits.(i.e. no texting,using cell phone,instead of bluetooth,observe road laws)

Good luck Don



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the reply, you confirmed a lot of what I found thus far.

One thing I could use clarification on is balancing the safety of a small car vs a lower-rated mid-size car.

If you had to guess one as being safer, should I favor the 5-star small car or the 4-star mid-size car? There is no rating system or anything that will directly compare different classes, but in my research decisions, which characteristic should I give greater weight to (size or rating)?
Thanks again, John
(Note: I will be sure to give feedback/rating once I hear back!)

Answer
John:The size of a car is the way you perceive it.
I drive a small car,but to me it is safe.
To some,a larger cars is safe,especially the SUVs.

Granted,larger car take much more impact,with less damage,and more safety.The heaver weight gives you more control.
And compared to small cars do not have ride quality as in a mid-size car.

The most important things I stress is:Comfort,convenience,and safety.
With those three points,with safety being important,what about the other two?

Good luck Don