Wise Startup Blog

After the gas price scare this past summer, people have been trying to dump their SUVs and move into smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Unfortunately, in this race to the bottom most fuel efficient car, getting small may have dire consequences, at least according to the Highway Safety Institute’s latest tests.

The above shows a Smart ForTwo colliding with a Mercedes Benz C-Class. The Smart car runs about $15,000 and the Benz is around $30,000, but the Mercedes is more than twice the size of the Smart Car, according to the NYTimes.

What Happens In A Two Car Head-On Collision?

Smart ForTwo vs. Mercedes C-Class
After it struck the front of the C-Class, the Smart became airborne and turned around 450 degrees. There was excessive movement of the dummy during rebound and extensive intrusion into the space around the dummy from head to foot. The instrument panel and the steering wheel were shoved up and toward the dummy in the Smart.

Toyota Yaris vs. Toyota Camry
The door of the Yaris was largely torn away. The driver’s seats in both the Yaris and Camry tipped forward, but only in the Yaris did the steering wheel move excessively. The heads of the dummies in both cars struck the steering wheels through the airbags, but only in the Yaris did the head injury measure rate a “poor.”

So What Should We Be Driving?

The Government is going to be pushing fuel efficiencies to 35 mpg, so they suggest we look at vehicles in the mid-range that also offer good fuel efficiency.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

I personally just leased a Honda Civic Hybrid through a great National Lease Offer by Honda, and hopefully this is a big enough car to keep me safe and sound should any horrendous accident occur.