Drive 99: Motorists put safety first as they pick that new model

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Aug 22, 1999 | by CHRIS JONES

SAFETY is first in most people's minds when it comes to buying a new car.

A new survey shows that glamorous ads and shiny, hot, lean machines have little impact on our decision-making when it comes to buying a vehicle. For seven out of 10 consumers, looks and performance rate a poor second to safety, reliability and economy.

The most sought-after feature in a car is anti-lock braking, followed by an airbag. Top-of-the-range stereos, sunroofs and alloy wheels are seen simply as desirable extras.

For safety, the Ford Fiesta (top right) and VW Polo top the league of the superminis according to the Consumer Association magazine Which?

In the small family car stakes, Ford is top again with the Focus, followed by the Toyota Corolla, Audi A3, Renault Megane, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf.

The Volvo S40 is number one for safety in the large family car category, ahead of the Toyota Avensis and Vauxhall Vectra.

In a separate survey, Which? found that people carriers - such as the Chrysler Voyager favoured by Tony Blair - had a very poor safety rate.

But the magazine says there's been a big improvement in standards generally, with manufacturers accepting that safety is a selling point.

For security, the Vauxhall Vectra is top, followed by the Toyota Avensis, with the Audi A3 third. But two factors are taken into account here: How easy it is to steal from a car; and how easy it is to steal the car itself.

So where the VW Golf fares badly because it's easy to break into, it scores highly because theft of the car is more difficult.

THE MOST (AND LEAST) RELIABLE

Percentage of cars less than two years old breaking down or failing to start at least once in last 12 months

WORST BEST

ROVER 10% SUBARU 1%

FIAT 8% HONDA 1%

MERCEDES 8% MAZDA 3%

BMW 8% TOYOTA 3%

VAUXHALL 7% MITSUBISHI 4%

RENAULT 7% FORD 4%

AUDI 7% VW 5%

THE SAFEST IN AN ACCIDENT

SUPERMINIS FAMILY CARS

Ford Fiesta Ford Focus

VW Polo Toyota Corolla

Ford Ka Audi A3

Toyota Starlet Renault Megane

LARGE FAMILY CARS

Volvo S40, Toyota Avensis, Vauxhall Vectra, VW Passat, Audi A4

THE HARDEST TO STEAL

Score out of 10

VW Passat 1.8 20v SE 4 door 8

VW Passat 1.8 20v SE estate 7

BMW 318i 4 door (old model) 7

Ford Escort 1.6 LX 5 door 7

Skoda Octavia 1.8 20v SLX 5 door 7

VW Golf 1.6S 5 door 7

Toyota Avensis 2.0 GLS 5 door 7

Source: Which? magazine