Smart Car not so smart

chinese_fury

chinese_fury

CAG Veteran
Wow! And the Smartfortwo is hitting a Mercedes 300

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009...-test-smart-fortwo.html?scp=1&sq=smart&st=cse

April 14, 2009, 12:01 am
Small Cars Rate Poorly in New Crash Tests

By Cheryl Jensen
480-smart.jpg
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety A Smart Fortwo, right, was crashed into a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan.
When a Smart Fortwo collided with a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, in new crash tests done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the little Smart car went airborne and did what amounted to a pirouette. The news was not much better when the institute crashed a Honda Fit into a Honda Accord, and a Toyota Yaris into a Toyota Camry.



Officials at the institute, which is financed by the insurance industry, said people pretty much know they aren’t going to fare well if a Fortwo tangles with a Hummer. That’s why the organization used midsize cars in these tests — to show that very small cars will be the losers in crashes, even with slightly bigger vehicles
Click to expand...
 
problem with this is america is too oversized... in stupidy, in girth, and in cars.

every god damn hick out here has a truck, even though the bed is spotless, and it only gets rained on. every damn soccer mom with 1 kid has a big fucking SUV... sitting 10 feet in the air, and most of the time it's fucking empty.

Cars like this in Japan or small town Europe = perfect.

America? no... we need at least $6-7 / gallon fuel before idiots move away from big stupid and ugly.

I seriously watched 4 dumbass huge Van drivers, all in the same day, all women, try to part... their vans were so freaking long and huge that it took them at least an average of 4 times to pull forward, pull back, straighten out, and repeat... in a normal straight parking lot.

Now I drive a geo prizm, built before Chevy ruined them, still made of steal, so I could survive a good impact... but I wouldn't take these out on the highway or even major city driving unless it was heavy downtown with
 
Yeah in the countries these things were originally designed for, it probably wouldn't be as big a problem. More of the cars on the road would be around their size. Here i'd be too afraid of getting hit by someone in some huge dual axle truck or even a hummer.
 
[quote name='xycury']problem with this is america is too oversized... in stupidy, in girth, and in cars.

every god damn hick out here has a truck, even though the bed is spotless, and it only gets rained on. every damn soccer mom with 1 kid has a big fucking SUV... sitting 10 feet in the air, and most of the time it's fucking empty.

Cars like this in Japan or small town Europe = perfect.

America? no... we need at least $6-7 / gallon fuel before idiots move away from big stupid and ugly.

I seriously watched 4 dumbass huge Van drivers, all in the same day, all women, try to part... their vans were so freaking long and huge that it took them at least an average of 4 times to pull forward, pull back, straighten out, and repeat... in a normal straight parking lot.

Now I drive a geo prizm, built before Chevy ruined them, still made of steal, so I could survive a good impact... but I wouldn't take these out on the highway or even major city driving unless it was heavy downtown with
 
They are pretty fun to drive around in though, especially the convertible ones. Then again, when we rented one we were in Martha's Vineyard when there were about 5 people on the roads. On a major highway here? fuck that.
 
[quote name='munch']You have . . . BOLD OPINIONS![/QUOTE]


Indeed, with spelling errors.

Just fed up with alot of stuff. Falling behind technology wise and it shouldn't be like that. We made the auto, America's version, today, shouldn't be described as Hick trucks and soccer mom SUVs that carry on average 1 passenger.

It's a hard sell to back these companies when they've screwed themselves and we followed right behind them in every way.
 
Its like a go cart... No thanks.

The mileage savings is a joke compared to what they get in other countries anyways.

Go with a bit larger car for safety. That $400 a year wont mean shit when your dead.
 
[quote name='xycury']Indeed, with spelling errors.

Just fed up with alot of stuff. Falling behind technology wise and it shouldn't be like that. We made the auto, America's version, today, shouldn't be described as Hick trucks and soccer mom SUVs that carry on average 1 passenger.

It's a hard sell to back these companies when they've screwed themselves and we followed right behind them in every way.[/quote]
Actually i believe the automobile was originally invented in Germany. At least what we would think of as an automobile.
 
[quote name='xycury']problem with this is america is too oversized... in stupidy, in girth, and in cars.

every god damn hick out here has a truck, even though the bed is spotless, and it only gets rained on. every damn soccer mom with 1 kid has a big fucking SUV... sitting 10 feet in the air, and most of the time it's fucking empty.

Cars like this in Japan or small town Europe = perfect.

America? no... we need at least $6-7 / gallon fuel before idiots move away from big stupid and ugly.

I seriously watched 4 dumbass huge Van drivers, all in the same day, all women, try to part... their vans were so freaking long and huge that it took them at least an average of 4 times to pull forward, pull back, straighten out, and repeat... in a normal straight parking lot.

Now I drive a geo prizm, built before Chevy ruined them, still made of steal, so I could survive a good impact... but I wouldn't take these out on the highway or even major city driving unless it was heavy downtown with
 
My boss is getting one of these. Here's Smar's response to the video.

Dear smart enthusiasts,
>
> Many of you may have become aware of a recent crash test study performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). You may have even seen some of the crash videos on the news. Wed like to take this opportunity to share with you some additional information about the tests and to clarify any questions you might have regarding the performance of the smart fortwos safety management system.
>
> The overall purpose of the IIHS test was to demonstrate that small cars do not perform as well as big cars in high impact crashes. Therefore, the IIHS crashed three small cars a Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and smart fortwo into three larger cars a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mercedes-Benz C-Class respectively. In its press release announcing the results of the test, the IIHS stated that all three smaller cars performed poorly in this particular test, despite the fact that all three cars had received Good ratings from the IIHS in previous standard tests.
>
> The IIHS non-standard test is rare and extreme and unlikely to occur in real world crashes. In fact, federal safety regulators do not require this type of testing because the likelihood of an accident within these test parameters is so rare: fewer than 1% of all accidents can compare to this type of crash.
>
>
> >> The smart fortwo is safe.
>
> The most important thing to note is that the smart fortwo meets or exceeds all federal government crash test standards, including a 5-star side crash rating. It also received the highest scores for front and side crashes from the IIHS.* The reason for these excellent results is the incredible safety management system of the smart fortwo. The vehicle is equipped with advanced crash avoidance (active safety) and crash protection (passive safety) systems that come as standard on all models.
>
> The most notable of the active safety systems is electronic stability program (esp®). According to the IIHS, cars equipped with esp are 20% less likely to be in a fatal accident with another vehicle and 51% less likely to be in a fatal single-vehicle accident.** Additionally, the smart fortwo is the only vehicle in its price range to offer esp as standard equipment.***
>
> In the event of a crash, the safety management system of this amazing vehicle will work hard to protect the occupants. The passive safety system, featuring four airbags and a collapsible steering column, is highlighted by the tridion safety cell a steel safety cage reinforced with high-strength steel similar to a NASCAR roll cage.
>
> smart has a proven, real-world track record with over a million cars on the road in 37 countries over the past 10 years. More than 30,000 smart fortwos have been sold here in just over one year of being on sale in the United States.
>
> To learn more about the incredible safety management system of the smart fortwo, visit www.smartusa.com.
>
>
> >> www.safeandsmart.com
>
> At smart USA, we have received emails, letters and phone calls from owners who have shared stories with us about how their smart fortwo protected them and, in some cases, helped to save their lives.
>
> smart USA has also recently launched a new website called www.safeandsmart.com. On this website, smart owners and drivers from across the country can share their own real-life safety stories, read about how the smart has protected others and learn more about the smarts safety features.
>
> We encourage you to visit www.safeandsmart.com today and share your safety story, whether it be about how the smart fortwo protected you in an accident, or helped you avoid one.
>
>
> >> smart is changing the landscape of American highways.
>
> As smart owners, reservation holders and enthusiasts, you know that we as a society are trending towards smaller cars. People are choosing the smart fortwo for many reasons: environmental consciousness, fuel efficiency, urban mobility and economic value. All in all, less consumption, more conservation in a package that is both safe and fun. Thats what smart is all about.
>
> We trust this information has helped you to better understand the IIHS recent test, and assured you of the safety technologies that make the smart fortwo one of the safest small cars today. Should you have any additional questions about the test or the smart fortwos safety management system, please call smart USAs Customer Care Center, at 1.800.smart.USA (762.7887) or visit www.smartusa.com.
>
> Thank you for your continued support of the smart brand.
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> The smart USA Team
Click to expand...
 
Ok I ranted earlier, but it's quite clear this kind of car can't be that successful around here. America is just too big in every way.

But I do envy Japan and smaller European countries where finding a Truck, dualie truck with extended cab to be rare.

But they have a completely different transportation system...


I do understand the need for it, but there are alot of drivers out there just don't use it. If one person is going from A to B alone, just to comute, I don't see why this vehicle can't be just as good as any Truck or SUV doing the same thing.

Granted, this would work in big cites and such, but I don't see this as most americans living greater than 30 miles away from work and having to comute on highways.
 
so you spend $13,000 and get 36 mpg in that tiny asss car that is good for some small trips or getting a small amount of groceries...

Any larger car mazda 3 for example can pull the same mileage and be just as usable and much safer in a crash...

Why are these cars even sold here. Its not like they are pulling off a large MPG gain.. its not even a gain when compared against some cars. They get much better mileage in their original countries, here we have sucked the life and MPG out of them due to emmissions laws.
 
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[quote name='Snake2715']so you spend $13,000 and get 36 mpg in that tiny asss car that is good for some small trips or getting a small amount of groceries...
Any larger car mazda 3 for example can pull the same mileage and be just as usable and much safer in a crash...

Why are these cars even sold here. Its not like they are pulling off a large MPG gain.. its not even a gain when compared against some cars.[/QUOTE]

Just the cool factor I think. That and it would be easy as hell to park one of those. But to be honest, if I had to drive one of those, I would probably just take public transportation, doesn't seem like it's worth it to have something that small.
 
I have a Protege5 and I regularly get 35 mpg. The best I've ever gotten was just shy of 40.

My boss is getting one because it gets 40 mpg (highway). He's spending $16,000 on it when he could be getting something bigger (he's 6'4" so I'm sure he'd look goofy as hell driving it) with comparable mileage. Or he could just dish out a big more and get a prius.
 
The asian countries that use these cars don't do it to help the environment i guarantee you. These are the countries that deal with overcrowding and such. You typically see the people in these countries using bicycles and scooters, mainly because their country doesn't have all of these huge roads and open space like the united states.

Look at any country with a lot of big roads, that isn't dealing with overcrowding, and who's citizens aren't in poverty and i guarantee you don't see them driving these little golf cart cars. In the United states people drive these kind of cars because they want to help the environment or they want to get better gas mileage. People in most asian countries drive those cars because they have to. They don't have the room to drive big ass trucks and SUV's.
 
I wouldn't feel safe in one of those things no matter how they performed. They look dumb and they look like they were already in an accident as it is
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I wouldn't mind the smart car if it didn't get such shitty mileage for its size. It's a joke.[/QUOTE]


Ding ding ding
 
Smart Cars are about the dumbest things ever. Most points have already been covered in here. But did they really need an official report to conclude that being hit by anything over the size of a small cat in one of these things would result in vaporization? Well, maybe a little exaggerated, but not much. I have a 12.5 year old '97 Honda Accord EX Sedan 5-speed that cost me $4000, seats 5, has a huge trunk and gets almost as good of gas mileage as one of these pieces of hud. Now, who in the blue hell would want one of these over what other clearly superior options are available on the market?

And those who rant and rave over large vehicles make me sick. If you don't like them or if you don't have a need for them, fine. Don't buy one. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing that ticks me off more than a woman in an SUV on her cell phone (they have a hard enough time driving a small car, much less something so big) who almost runs right over my car as she swerves in and out of three lanes. Or when I'm on my scooter and even though she sees me she thinks just because she is in a bigger vehicle she can run me off the road. Or people with 4-wheel drive vehicles that die and go to the junk yard, never having been in 4WD. I think you get my point.

But I come from a place where as much as I love my little Honda, it can't get me everywhere I want to go. Especially in the winter. I'm grateful I have a friend and former roommate who has an F-350 Power Stroke w/ extended cab so we can go to the mountains and camp or so we can leave Utah and go to his ranch in Colorado in the middle of a blizzard to spend the weekend snowmobiling. My grandparents have a cabin in the mountains of Southern Utah that we never would get to a good 6-8 months out of the year without their truck we would go in while growing up. Furthermore, have you never called a buddy with a large bed truck to help you move something that wouldn't fit in your car? I know when my '83 F-150 was still in working condition I helped people all the time. And now whenever I have to move I use my sister's Toyota truck to do so.

I know you toned down on your hatorade there, xycury, but you shouldn't speak so harshly and broadly about something that does have its good points along with its bad. If you're going to hate, hate on the morons who misuse vehicles or just plain don't know how to drive, but not on perfectly reasonable equipment to own. As I said, I love my Accord and I love to go tootin' around on my 150cc scooter on a nice sp/su day/night. But when I'm done with school and have the money to spare, I know I'll be getting a truck once again. Even though I would like to end up in S.Cal, I won't be leaving the mountains completely behind.
 
Did they really have to do a whole study on this? Even I can tell you a Smartcar won't fare well against anything bigger than itself.
 
When I was last in Europe the Smart was only found in a few highly urban locations. Amsterdam, for example, was a place where you could spot them around the city. But the big attraction wasn't the gas mileage. It was the parking! Driving a proper car around Amsterdam is a torture of the damned. Unless you are a cab or package delivery vehicle, you park on te outskirts and get around on foot, train, or bicycle.

(Amsterdam has about 50 million identical crappy bicycles strewn about the place. They make actually be a form of weed that has been mandated as a form of transport to keep them from completely overrunning the buildings. There is no point in having a nice bicycle because it will be inevitably stolen nd you'll have to go to the swap meet to buy it back from the thief's fence.)

You can get a Smart into parking locations that would not normally be identified as such. I twice witnessed a real-life version of the Mentos commercial in which a group of men picked up and moved a Smart into an otherwise unreachable parking space.

But when it came to driving in a way similar to my daily needs here in the US, the Smart was not remotely a presence. Once out on the A30 we never saw any. On theAutobahn? Don't make me laugh. I was ripping along at the 160 KPH and constantly had to get over to allow the FAST cars to go by. A Smart on the Autobahn would be like a Vespa in the Laguna Seca.
 
[quote name='Over easy']Did they really have to do a whole study on this? Even I can tell you a Smartcar won't fare well against anything bigger than itself.[/QUOTE]

Well, you see, there is this thing called science in which actual experiments are performed to confirm or refute what has been up until then mere beliefs.

Also, the Smart folks have made some claims about their own crash tests that were very misleading. Most Americans are used to seeing footage of cars hurtling at brick walls at highway speeds. The Smart test focused on smaller object at much lower speeds. While they did far better than a similar-sized car without as much safety engineering would, this was only a small slice from the range of perils drivers really face.

A few years ago, I was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer (it belongs to my mother but I was on chaffeur duty) on the 405 Freeway northbound and traffic came to a complete stop just past the Skirball exit. A small Honda sedan's driver completely failed to notice traffic had stopped and rear-ended me at around 45 MPH. I saw her coming but there was nothing I could do. The Honda was wrecked and the driver suffered minor injuries including a broken nose from the air bag deployment. The Honda's design worked. It collapsed in such a way as to protect the driver from what could easily have been a fatal crash in an older car. But it was totaled.

TheExplorer came out much better. There was about $2K worth of damage to the rear and some minor damage to the front where we were shoved into an Escalade. The front license plate was actually left pierced and hanging on the Escalade's trailer hitch. Something that might be viewed as silly if done in a movie. But we were fine and drove home without any problems. The Explorer's engineering also worked well, limiting damage to the bumper and maintaining functionality.

So people who have a problem with others choosing to drive larger vehicles are welcome to go pound sand up their asses.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']I know this is an old thread but... @ OP would you rather have one of these?





Mid west of No where and you own a Prizm. You think you'll survive in that car with steal? lol[/QUOTE]

Prizm isn't a metro or a neon, it's not near anywhere like those in the videos.

Sure massive trucks want to roll over me, but it's handled far more than any other car I've seen recently... I've seen some that shatter because of the fiberglass.


I don't know why you bumped a shitty thread... just to be shitty.
 
[quote name='xycury']problem with this is america is too oversized... in stupidy, in girth, and in cars.

every god damn hick out here has a truck, even though the bed is spotless, and it only gets rained on. every damn soccer mom with 1 kid has a big fucking SUV... sitting 10 feet in the air, and most of the time it's fucking empty.
r.[/QUOTE]

so fucking true. so fucking true.
 
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