Bigger Isn't Always Better: Eight Big Bars With Safety Ratings That Don't Size Up

by Fusion 360 Studios Digital Marketing Specialists

Consumers often buy large cars under the assumption that their size means they are safer. Generally, this assumption is accurate. But, for a few cars on the market, size doesn’t guarantee safety, and Utah drivers might have issues with auto accidents or theft. Most large cars are safe overall, but the ones that do have safety issues have issues that are potentially fatal.

Toyota Rav 4

The Rav 4 was the first compact SUV that combined the space of an SUV and the maneuverability of a smaller car. This crossover missed out on safety, though. When driving a Rav 4, Utah drivers are safe unless they run into something small in the front of a car, like a light post. In tests of this scenario, the car trapped the dummy’s foot.

Nissan Quest

Minivans are a popular choice for Utah families because of their space and safety. The Nissan Quest’s safety rating was bad enough for the Consumer Report to take away its recommendation after crash-tests yielded dents that were two feet deep, and the car trapped the dummy’s feet after the crash. Experts say that if this were to happen, the driver might never be able to walk again.

The Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab

The Colorado has failed its side-impact testing and performed only moderately for rollover and back-end auto testing. In 2011, Chevrolet recalled about 5,000 Colorado models after rising concerns about the safety of their seat belts.

Dodge Ram

24/7 Wallstreet named the Dodge Ram the “Most Dangerous Car in America.” Side impact and rollover ratings are consistently low across different years of the model, and the car doesn’t properly protect passenger’s heads or left legs.

Chrysler Town & Country

When the Insurance Institute for Higher Safety tested the Town & Country, it found that if a Utah driver got into an auto accident, the airbag wouldn’t properly protect the driver, and the driver could suffer head trauma.

Cadillac Escalade SUV

Utah drivers are safe from accidents while in the Escalade, but they run into problems once they leave the car. The Escalade is the top theft target and offers little theft protection, so the thieves steal the Escalade about four times as frequently as they do other cars.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Classic

The Silverado is on the list of cars with the highest rates of auto driver deaths. In a span of five years, 79 drivers died after accidents in the Silverado. In safety tests, the Silverado scored only a moderate safety rating for head-on collisions.

Mazda CX-9

The Mazda failed the front-overlap test after experts found that, in the event of an auto accident, the driver could hit his or her on the windshield. The roof strength and head restraints of the CX-9 were only moderate, which mean that the strength of the car is quest

Kathleen Stone is a legal writer reporter for Fusion 360, a Content Marketing Agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry.

Image Credit: Flickr