When you’re in the market for a new car, safety is likely a top priority. Understanding how vehicles compare in terms of safety is crucial for making an informed decision. One key metric to consider is the Overall Vehicle Score, but it’s essential to know how to properly use this score when you Compare Car To Car.
The Overall Vehicle Score, often presented as a star rating from one to five stars, is designed to give you a quick assessment of a vehicle’s safety performance in crash tests. This score is calculated by combining the results of frontal crash tests, side crash tests, and rollover resistance evaluations. These individual test probabilities are weighted to reflect the real-world frequency of each type of accident, ultimately providing an overall injury risk assessment for a vehicle compared to the average across all vehicles. Here’s how the star ratings break down:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Overall injury risk is much less than average
⭐⭐⭐⭐= Overall injury risk is less than average to average
⭐⭐⭐= Overall injury risk is average to greater than average
⭐⭐= Overall injury risk is greater than average
⭐= Overall injury risk is much greater than average
However, it’s critically important to understand the limitations when you compare car to car using the Overall Vehicle Score. Direct comparisons are only valid between vehicles that are in the same vehicle class and have a weight difference of no more than 250 pounds. This weight and class restriction is in place because crash forces and vehicle dynamics vary significantly across different vehicle types and weights.
To illustrate why these limitations are vital when you compare car to car, consider these points:
Vehicle Class Matters for Car Comparison
Different vehicle classes, such as SUVs, sedans, and pickup trucks, are built with different structural designs and safety features tailored to their specific purposes and typical usage. For instance, an SUV, designed with a higher center of gravity and greater ground clearance, will behave differently in a crash compared to a lower-riding sedan. Comparing the Overall Vehicle Score of a pickup truck to a minivan, for example, would be misleading because their inherent designs and crash characteristics are fundamentally different. They are not directly comparable in terms of safety performance using a single, overall score across classes.
Vehicle Weight is Key When You Compare Car to Car
Weight plays a significant role in crash outcomes. In a collision between two vehicles of different weights, occupants in the heavier vehicle generally experience less force than those in the lighter vehicle. The Overall Vehicle Score accounts for this within similar weight ranges. However, comparing a very heavy vehicle to a much lighter one using just the star rating is not accurate. A heavier vehicle might naturally score better simply due to its size and mass advantage in a crash against a lighter vehicle, even if the lighter vehicle has excellent safety engineering for its class.
Therefore, to accurately compare car to car for safety using the Overall Vehicle Score, remember these guidelines:
Valid Car Comparisons for Safety Ratings:
- Comparing a 3,400-pound passenger car with a 3,650-pound passenger car. (Same class, weight difference within 250 pounds)
- Assessing safety differences between two mid-size SUVs weighing approximately the same. (Same class, similar weight)
- Evaluating different models within the same sedan class with comparable weights. (Same class, similar weight)
Invalid Car Comparisons for Safety Ratings:
- Comparing a 4,500-pound SUV with a 3,000-pound sedan. (Different classes and exceeds weight limit)
- Comparing a 3,600-pound pickup truck with a 3,400-pound minivan. (Different classes, despite meeting weight limit)
In conclusion, the Overall Vehicle Score is a valuable tool for understanding car safety, but only when used correctly. When you compare car to car, ensure you are comparing vehicles within the same class and a similar weight range to get a meaningful understanding of their relative safety performance. Focusing on these valid comparisons will help you make a safer and more informed choice when selecting your next vehicle.
