Safety: Mercedes vs Volvo; Mercedes & Volvo vs Others

[sanchezc]

Mercedes vs Volvo:

For some reason Mercedes does not seem to advertise their historical, and hopefully still current, focus on safety (unlike Volvo):
* if they analyze real-life accidents, it does not show up in Google (or other) web searches;
* if they reproduce those real-life accidents in ad hoc safety centers, it is not apparent either;
* and their IIHS results are underwhelming, with e.g. the R (and E) getting only Acceptables for side impacts.

Mercedes & Volvo vs Others:

Safety may be the reason why neither Mercedes nor Volvo have ever built a minivan. I've read of safety concerns with the sliding doors in rollovers: they apparently tend to pop open. Reason for which I understand that the NHTSA is considering requiring new designs with more than just the current two attachment points.

Any thoughts?

[MBeige]

Look harder...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZlXrj9ghAE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4MQdm-0TY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0hxy8DXmYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43hhNVVe63c

[RichardM98]

Unlike Volvo who focuses almost entirely on safety in their advertising, MB builds a car that is fast, handles well, is safe, comfortable, luxurious and has excellent build quality. While they might not toot their horn so loudly that you can't miss it, they have been leaders in safety innovation since the birth of the automobile.

As for ratings my 1998 wagon got a 5 star side impact (highest) and 4 star front. I'm told later E320's did better (5/5?).

[A. Rosich]

Originally Posted by sanchezc

Mercedes vs Volvo:


Mercedes & Volvo vs Others:

Safety may be the reason why neither Mercedes nor Volvo have ever built a minivan. I've read of safety concerns with the sliding doors in rollovers: they apparently tend to pop open. Reason for which I understand that the NHTSA is considering requiring new designs with more than just the current two attachment points.

Any thoughts?

Mercedes have built minivans for ages. They have produced a commercial minivan for decades which in the 80's was converted to a passenger van. Then, on the 90's this passenger minivan got a complete redesign using a new platform (different from the commercial van).

It is call the V-class and the Viano. It is produced in several countries including Germany, Spain and others. And has sold by hundreds of thousands all around the world.

Besides that, the Brazilian and Argentinian subsidiaries of Daimler produces four or five different types of minivans (ranging from 7 to 14 passengers).

They don't sell them in the U.S. because of safety issues, but because of brand image.

Do a search on the V-class and the Viano.

[babymog]

I agree on your decision to not buy a minivan.

Volvo used to be very safe, still pretty safe, I'd rather be in a Mercedes.

Also, Ford only sold 8,500 Volvo units in the past year, I wonder if they'll continue to import them in the current downsizing climate. Not with those numbers.

[uberwgn]

Originally Posted by babymog

Volvo used to be very safe, still pretty safe, I'd rather be in a Mercedes.

Safe is relative. I dunno, I have a very hard time purchasing a car on their single claim to fame: Safety

There's a lot more going on out there than just that single attribute they tout over and over. Do people really purchase a car because they believe they can "safely" stuff it into a brick wall and walk away It just doesn't align with my thinking. They really need to find some fresh material for their advertising. Volvo is a not a car I'd ever consider. Ever.

[sanchezc]

MBeige:
Thanks for the links. But I am still wondering why Mercedes's crash test results have been inconsistent in e.g. the IIHS tests (see e.g. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?mercedes), whereas Volvo's have been consistently good (see e.g. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?volvo).

RichradM98:
I guess you are referring to the NHTSA crash test results, which are less demanding than the IIHS's. And see above... Otherwise, I have owned a Volvo 740 GLE, and although the handling was indeed mediocre, the car was also "comfortable" and had "excellent build quality". (I don't care too much about "fast" and "luxurious", but that's me.)

A. Rosich:
Thanks for the reminder. I am European (Spanish), so I should know about the V-Class... Here is one link about the safety concerns with minivans' sliding doors: http://kids-safety-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/new_issues_on_kids_and_car_safety.

babymog:
8,500 Volvos sold in the US in the past year sounds very low indeed: do you have a reference?

uberwgn:
It's not that "people [...] purchase a car because they believe they can "safely" stuff it into a brick wall and walk away", it's because sometimes you can't prevent the "brick" from hitting you: at a red light, in a traffic jam, etc.

[MBeige]

Perhaps Volvo's designs are aimed at getting high crash test results whereas MB's designs are more focused towards realistic crash tests.

Another good link

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/crashes.html

[sanchezc]

MBeige:

The IIHS crash tests are supposed to reproduce the most common / fatal crashes. So a safe car should at least do well in those.

Volvo passes those with flying colors, but also a myriad others in their elaborate safety center, where they reproduce the many real life accidents they have analyzed. (At all sorts of angles and speeds, between vehicles of different sizes, even simulating pregnant women, etc.)

I know that Mercedes does its own tests two, but I still don't know if they are as thorough and realistic as Volvo's. And again, I am concerned that some recent Mercedes models are not flying over IIHS's minimal bar... (E.g. the R's and E's side-impacts are unimpressive. Even after the E was given a second chance, as requested by Mercedes.)