Surely you’ve heard hundreds of times. Someone has bought a SUV , and one of his first explanation is is safer than a car . Big horse walk or not walk: US culture SUV exploded in the 90s, and inevitably came to Europe in a few years. Much of cars on our roads are SUVs, and are not necessarily safer than a car. In fact are less safe in much of situations. After removing that diesel equals savings back with a somewhat uncomfortable truth.
Is it truly a SUV modern safer than a car?
EuroNCAP does not take into account the incompatibility of vehicles in frontal crashes.
First of all, we must make clear what a SUV . While vehicles were directly derived from SUVs, with whom they shared a heavy frame stiles and rails, a traditional building structure. Although still larger than a car today its structure is almost identical to that of a car monocoque chassis and often not even wheel drive. The SUV and are more crossover “car” than ever, some even are built on the same platforms.
But vehicles are always higher, and have a higher mass. Without going any further, the Audi Q5 is approximately 300 kg heavier than an Audi A4, despite having a similar length and an inner space of the closest. If there is a situation in which An SUV is safer than a car: when you have a frontal impact against him . It’s called compatibility or frontal crash compatibility. The problem is that SUV usually not compatible with such a compact or utility in a frontal crash against it.
The SUV and crossover are becoming more popular than other traditional cars.
Unfortunately, car occupants out more injured : the impact absorbing structure of the car is designed to absorb impacts of a similar vehicle, not those of a much larger vehicle. In these cases, on SUV usually exceed these structures – sometimes reaching mounted on the other vehicle – causing serious injury to the occupants. We speak in height, but also mass: The SUV is heavier, more moving vehicle collision force to smaller
.
The advantages of SUV end at this point, and indeed I find it quite violent call this protection structures incomptibilidad an advantage . In a study by Consumer Reports in the US this issue is reflected in frontal crashes: The SUV or crossover not offer no benefits in other types of accidents, offer in fact disadvantages. And the real problem is that is a type of vehicle prone to such other accidents , for a number of very clear reasons.
Its mass and height: also its Achilles heel
weigh more and are taller than a car. Take longer to stop and are more likely to rollover
The SUVs are taller and heavier . This makes having a higher center of gravity, a greater danger of tipping to a car in the event of a sudden maneuver or output via unavoidable. This argument is unanswerable. Although today all equipped with stability control, the ESP can not avoid all situations of danger. Also keep in mind that most weight causes great inertia on your driving , and also in case of evasive maneuvers.
In other words, will be less effective in situations of danger, clumsier and less agile reactions . We can not also forget that the brakes SUV and crossover are usually not much larger than a standard car, but must slow down to a mass much higher. It causes a clear lengthening stopping distances. It’s simple physics: these attributes do not make them safer cars. Track outputs are more likely for it, and once out of control are more likely to rollover.
A SUV have greater sense of security, and it urges us to be more aggressive driving.
A last factor to be taken into account, and is a double-edged sword. The visibility ahead of SUV and crossover is better, we sit higher and dominate the traffic from above. But keep in mind the human psyche: we are rotegidos by a metal shell and brave little glazed surface design. We are brave, we feel strong, and tend to adopt a more aggressive driving style taking more risks and ultimately increasing our chances of accident.
You really are so insecure the SUV ?
This article would have been much more valid 10 years ago, when fashion SUV exploded in Spain and all had much larger than the current one. Today are the means and crossover SUV small vehicles bestseller universe SUV , and the truth is that few saved differences with a conventional car, a compact or a sedan. Yes, they are somewhat heavier and higher, but the difference between a Renault Captur and Renault Clio is quite low right now at the structural level.
Five reasons why you should not buy SUV and four other reasons why you should.
However, there are many differences between said Renault Clio and Renault Kadjar. Or between a Volkswagen Golf and a Volkswagen Touareg. Perhaps this article will make you think about whether or not a purchase SUV if you’re thinking of buying a new car. But what would like is that the myth that SUV is a safer car can not be removed once and for all. I wish I could have written ten years ago, but better late than never, as they say.
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