IIHS Crash Test: Smart ForTwo vs. Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Im actually suprised (given the Smart has almost no front end) that it did as well as it did. Its passenger compartment looks much more intact vs the Yaris.

Real life crashes are hardly ever fair.

There's no shocking truth to this. We've known the laws of physics for generations. The bigger object has a big advantage.

This would be a great basis for a ride at Six Flags. Someone should get busy on it for the 2010 season.

I agree with altimadud00.

I think the MB C-Class ranks as an average size car in the US while in Europe or Asia it may be considered larger.

No car is going to do well against a head on, 40mph collision with an 18-wheeler or a bus. When purchasing a vehicle I believe most take into account how it would would fare against an average sized car, truck or SUV in an accident.

I'd purchase a Smart Car if I were to only use it for driving in urban areas where the speed limit is usually well below 40mph. On the highway? Forget it.

What is rather clear from the video is that Smart did SHOCKINGLY well in this collision. Take an older C-klasse, say a 1994 model, and it would be a very different picture. As in driver being minced to pieces by the failed structure. Besides, would a C300 fair much better than the Smart in an 80mph collision with another C300? I really doubt it.

I think the media coverage of this latest series of tests has been biased and unfair. This collision was done at 80 mph combined, which is extremely severe. I think that IIHS has a hidden agenda in showing mini-cars in this light. What exactly are they trying to demonstrate? That a rational person would be well served by buying a tractor trailer or a tank as their commuter car? Where does this "arms race" stop? How heavy is heavy enough? How tall is tall enough? If you buy a midsize sedan as they suggest, what guarantee you have that it will offer any survivability in a collision with something much bigger and heavier at 80 mph?! How about Accord vs. Hummer? How about Camry vs. Land Cruiser? Would they fly through the air in a similar fashion? Or would they simply explode into pieces of smoking metal?

"I think that IIHS has a hidden agenda in showing mini-cars in this light"

I agree. Anyone else notice the pictures are always set so you see the undamaged side of the mid sized car and the damaged side of the small car? It doesn't change the amount of damage of course but it does increase the shock value.

The conditions and staging of the test were carefully choosen to give the maximum visual effect to the point they wanted to make.

My guess is owners of small cars will be a seeing a large jump in insurance premiums in the next year based on these "results".

Shocking how the laws of physics work.

Although the smart didn't deform like the yaris, it transmitted more force to it's occupants. In a fraction of a second it was accelerated from 40mph to 10 or 20mph in reverse. Very bad for your internal organs, or so i am told.

Somebody strap some lab mice, dogs, and monkeys in these cars so we can study the effects of this kind of crash on their internal organs.

Thanks.
I support animal testing. Animal testing forever!

It's ok they can breed really fast in 4 weeks we'll have 64 times as many mice as we had before.