All vehicles on the list are available as 2003 models in configurations that
have manual transmissions, 4 doors, side torso airbags, side head airbags,
ABS, traction control, and stability control. If a vehicle is not available
with all of these together, it is not included (e.g., the Lexus IS300 is
available with a manual transmission or stability control, but not both
together). It is a shame that advanced safety features like head airbags and
stability control have not trickled down into a larger number of more
affordable vehicles yet, but it is happening slowly. While it wasn't required
to make the list, all vehicles on the list also have seat belt pretensioners
and load limiters for the front seat occupants.
Note: If you want to see the whole table without scrolling but can't, you can
try setting your font smaller in your browser preferences.
Some models are not included because other vehicles on the list are similar
enough and superior enough to be clearly preferrable:
Note, I plan to update this page at some point to include handling and other
performance information.
- BMW X5
- Biggest problems are horrible reliability and high price. Minor
complaints: Telematics system (BMW Mayday system) is not stardard, is too
expensive an option, and doesn't work as well as other telematics systems
(see X5 board), or at least the NAV system doesn't and it isn't clear to me
how much the Mayday system costs as an option or whether the NAV system is
required (the NAV system is way too expensive). There should be a 6th gear on
the manual transmission. The adjustable ride height option should lower at
high speeds to have lower center-of-gravity, but it raises to the default
height at higher speeds (unlike the Range Rover, allroad, and
Touareg/Cayenne). Would be nice to have more crash test results. Would be
nice for the side airbags to have sensors for occupants in deployment path.
Bottom line: The X5 seems to be the only SUV with stability control, head
airbags, and a manual transmission (if you don't count the Audi allroad as an
SUV, or the only one with all those things and good crash test scores even if
you do count the allroad). Even if you don't care about a manual
transmission, there is no other vehicle that is as heavy or as tall (for
visibility) but that nonetheless handles and brakes as well as the X5, though
the Cayenne may change that (for twice the price). If you don't care about a
manual transmission, there are several vehicles coming out to compete with
the lower-priced-end of the X5 range soon that will have a full complement of
safety features, including the VW Touareg and Volvo XC90, but it may be a
while before they also have established crash test scores.
- Audi A4
- Biggest problem is poor reliability. The only other issues are the
greater safety risk from not being a higher, heavier SUV. In the EuroNCAP
test, the A4 did better than the BMW 3-series and 5-series, Volvo S40, S60,
S70, and S80, VW Golf and Passat, and many others (this covers front and
side, where the A4 got a perfect 100%).
Bottom line: Top car AWD choice. Cheapest manual transmission AWD vehicle
with head airbags and stability control that also has good crash test scores.
Basically, it has every major safety feature that is available today on a
wide variety of vehicles, lacking only very new things like night vision, or
not-widely-available things like Volvo and Saab's active head restraints. The
only current vehicles with better directly-comparable crash test scores
available in the US are the Saab 9-5 and 9-3 and the Mercedes-Benz C-class
and E-class. The 9-5 doesn't handle as well as the A4. The E-class isn't
available with a manual tranny at all. The C-class is worthy if you don't
want AWD, but has just as much of a reliability problem as the A4. To get a
manual transmission SUV that is as safe, you have to go up to the X5 (for a
lot more money, and a lot worse gas mileage and slightly worse handling).
- Saab 9-3
- The only real problem is unknown reliability (but unknown still means
very likely still better than the horrible reliability of the X5 or even A4).
Other than that, the only disadvantages are not being an SUV and not having
AWD. The 9-3's recent EuroNCAP scores are very impressive, as are its very
full list of safety features. It's telematics system is standard compared to
optional on the A4 (and very expensive on the 3-series). It also has active
head restraints that the Audi and BMW don't have. It handles better than the
Passat, comparably to the A4. It is much cheaper than the 3-series and a bit
cheaper than the A4, with likely better reliability. Bottom line: top non-AWD
car choice. Probably the safest non-SUV in the world right now if you factor
in both active and passive safety.
- BMW 3-series
- Biggest issues are price ($2-3k+ more than A4 when similarly equipped),
reliability, and worse crash tests than the A4 or 9-3. As with A4, not as
heavy or a high as an SUV.
- The Saab 9-5 and the Volvos
- The 9-5 and the Volvos seem to have better reliability than the BMWs and
Audis, but the current S60s, V70s, and 9-5s don't handle as well. We'll have
to see whether the S60R, V70R do substantially better. Also, the
Volvos crash test scores, while good for most of the industry and bested in
general by the other excellent vehicles in this list.
- VW Passat
- Biggest issue is lack of AWD and poor headrests (whiplash can be serious
and long-lasting). Next biggest issue is whether old crash test results
really carry over to the new version which supposedly changed almost all
parts in the vehicle in the middle of 2001. Would be nice to have new IIHS
and side crash tests, but both NHTSA and IIHS seem to think the old crash
tests should apply and lists them for 2002 (and thus probably won't retest),
while crashtest.com separated pre- and post-redesign. Could use a telematics
system.
Bottom line: Much better reliability than the Golf/Jetta, plus it's heavier
than those vehicles. Best choice for around $20k.
- BMW 525i
- If you don't mind not having AWD or an SUV, and you can afford it, the
525 is a fine choice. Probably worth doing a good hard comparison with the
9-5. With the 5-series, you probably get slightly better handling for your
slightly worse crash test scores.
There seems to be a real difficulty getting good handling, good reliability,
and good safety features and crash test scores all into the same vehicle,
especially in an SUV or if you also ask for a manual transmission.
I'd really like to see a small or mid-sized SUV for under $40k with:
- unibody construction
- a manual transmission
- AWD
- above average reliability
- good crash test scores
- side torso AND head airbags
- stability control
- handling as good as current car-based SUVs (X5, Forester)
Telematics and active head restraints would be welcomed extras. I suspect
that we'll see a vehicles meeting these specs starting in the 2004 or 2005
model years, but it would seem that as I suspected last year, there is no
such choice at the moment for the 2003 model year.
Since the Cayenne, Touareg, and XC90 are all coming to the US only with
automatic transmissions, the two best contenders to first meet this modest
set of requirements would seem to be the upcoming BMW X3, if it can pull off
better reliability than its big brother the X5, or the Subaru Forester once
it gets Subaru's stability control system (the only thing that kept it out of
this list). Perhaps next year when it is rumored to also get a turbo engine
like the WRX?
More information about automobile safety.
Other health and safety related consumer info that
I've collected. In particular, see the disclaimer.
Karl Pfleger
kpfleger@cs.stanford.edu
November, 2002