Thinking small?
Many car shoppers are migrating toward smaller to mid-size cars. There are a few reasons for this. Smaller cars are generally more affordable. Smaller vehicles also tend to have lower licensing fees, which are appealing to most people. In addition, smaller vehicles usually get better gas mileage, reducing fuel costs. Finally, smaller cars are often easier to maneuver in tight places, such as parking lots.
The two factors that can cause hesitation are: Are they safe? Will my family be comfortable?
Today’s small cars are safe, and they feature an array of impressive technologies and thoughtful design touches aimed at maximizing their safety, including front and side airbags. High-strength steel withstands blows with less intrusion into the cabin, and electronic driver aids such as antilock brakes and electronic stability control help reduce crashes.
These factors produce cars that are dramatically safer than the small cars of the past. Additionally, today’s small cars are much bigger and heavier than those of the past. Consider that a 1984 Honda Civic hatchback weighed 1,830 pounds. The lightest version of today’s hot-selling version of the Civic tips the scales at 2,628 pounds, and the Civic Si version weighs 2,945 pounds, more than half a ton heavier than the 1984 model.
Significantly, most compact cars approach the 3,000-pound mark that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has identified as the weight that provides good crash protection on highways populated with many big trucks and SUVs. That’s the point of diminishing returns, beyond which each extra pound adds less crash protection, according to IIHS spokesman Russell Rader.
Today’s small cars aren’t the flyweight deathtraps many consumers suppose. That’s due to stiffer government requirements and consumers’ growing insistence that new cars earn top scores even in non-mandatory crash tests.
For example, the federal government has toughened its requirements for things like side impact protection, mandating more metal in a car’s side. The Insurance Institute's offset front crash test and side-impact test are not government requirements, but customers insist on top scores in them, so car manufacturers respond by adding reinforcing bulk that improves a car’s performance in the tests.
Even some of today’s smallest cars — like the Honda Fit and Toyota’s Yaris — bagged “good” scores (the highest available) from the IIHS’s frontal and side crash tests.
Bottom line, small cars are safe.
Ok, let’s address whether or not your family will be comfortable. Most small cars today have plenty of room for a family of four, the dog, your golf clubs and the groceries. Will all small cars fit your family’s needs? No. Therefore, we listed the most important questions to ask before you buy.
- How many children will you be transporting?
- Will you be installing car seats?
- Do you need a booster seat?
- Will the vehicle seat belt system meet the needs of you children?
- Does the vehicle have side impact air bags?
These questions will easily filter out the small vehicles that don’t fit your needs. Buying a car is a very important decision and one that you have to live with everyday. Our Ask Suzie specialists at Baierl will gladly take you and your entire family on test drives to create the perfect ride for you and your family.
