Safest Sedan (read family car) of 2003/2004 for around $22,000?

[incallisto]

Title says it all. Which Sedan (aka Saloon car for you Europeans) has the highest safety standards of 2003 or 2004 and does it at a price that's close to 22,000? Thank you!

Right now we are basically looking at the Volkswagen Passat GL series for around $22K US or the S40 from Volvo for the same. What do you guys think?

 

[boyRacer]

Text... no price categories but you have lots of options.

 

[incallisto]

Thanks! We basically decided on the Volvo S40. It has all of the safety features we are looking for (SIPS. WHIPS, and so on).

 

[Gravity]

Originally posted by: incallisto
Thanks! We basically decided on the Volvo S40. It has all of the safety features we are looking for (SIPS. WHIPS, and so on).

Safe but boring and boxy. Try the BMW 530 or 528. They both fit into your price range but have a little sportier engineering.

It's not all about safety, is it?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

For safety, Volvo will definetly be very safe. Although, before you buy check online for safety ratings, we found that in our price range the Lexus ES 330 was as safe as the S80, which is why we bought an ES 330. It may very well end up being that a higher end Accord or Camry will have more luxury than an S40 and still be similar in safety ratings.

 

[rufruf44]

Originally posted by: Gravity

Originally posted by: incallisto
Thanks! We basically decided on the Volvo S40. It has all of the safety features we are looking for (SIPS. WHIPS, and so on).

Safe but boring and boxy. Try the BMW 530 or 528. They both fit into your price range but have a little sportier engineering.

It's not all about safety, is it?

With the exception the 530/528 is several years old and he's looking for a new car. I doubt the current 5 series is anywhere near that price range.

 

[vi edit]

Can't go wrong with a Veedub or Audi.

 

[Dunbar]

Accord or Camry but the Passat also got a good score. I think the 4 cylinder Accord or Camry are better than a 1.8T Passat.

 

[C'DaleRider]

I'd look at the cars mentioned before here.......Accord, Mazda6, Camry, Passat, or even an Altima.

The Volvo, while nice and safe, isn't any safer than the cars mentioned above. Also, did you know the S40 is the product of a joint venture with Mitsubishi and it's built in the Netherlands? Personally, Mistubishi is not one car company I'd want my vehicle associated with.....their reputation is not exactly sterling.

 

[Howard]

Epoxy huge foam blocks all around your current car. That should do it.

Oh, and after you're done, don't forget to provide pics.

 

A new S40 will be coming out in the near future...you may want to postpone your decision:

link

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: C'DaleRider
I'd look at the cars mentioned before here.......Accord, Mazda6, Camry, Passat, or even an Altima.

The Volvo, while nice and safe, isn't any safer than the cars mentioned above. Also, did you know the S40 is the product of a joint venture with Mitsubishi and it's built in the Netherlands? Personally, Mistubishi is not one car company I'd want my vehicle associated with.....their reputation is not exactly sterling.

the next one is a ford focus/mazda 3, but at least it will built in volvo's plant.

 

[Ornery]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
For safety, Volvo will definetly be very safe. Although, before you buy check online for safety ratings, we found that in our price range the Lexus ES 330 was as safe as the S80, which is why we bought an ES 330. It may very well end up being that a higher end Accord or Camry will have more luxury than an S40 and still be similar in safety ratings.

HTF can you campare a 4 & 5 star mid size to a straight 5 star full size?

Consider Weight

• When vehicles are equipped with the same safety features, a heavier vehicle will generally better protect you in a crash. This is particularly the case in two-vehicle crashes.

Lighter vehicles have higher occupant death rates in two-vehicle crashes, and within each weight class, cars and pickups have similar occupant death rates.

SHOPPING FOR A SAFER CAR

• Vehicle size and weight are important characteristics that influence crashworthiness. The laws of physics dictate that, all else being equal, larger and heavier vehicles are safer than smaller and lighter ones. In relation to their numbers on the road, small cars have more than twice as many occupant deaths each year as large cars.
  
  Size and weight are closely related. Large vehicles typically are heavy, and small ones are light. But these two characteristics don't influence crashworthiness the same way. Vehicle size can protect you in both single- and two-vehicle collisions because larger vehicles usually have longer crush zones, which help prevent damage to the safety cage and lower the crash forces inside it.
  
  Vehicle weight protects you principally in two-vehicle crashes. In a head-on crash, for example, the heavier vehicle drives the lighter one backwards, which decreases forces inside the heavy vehicle and increases forces in the lighter one. All heavy vehicles, even poorly designed ones, offer this advantage in two-vehicle collisions but may not offer good protection in single-vehicle crashes.

For $22,000, you can get a straight 5 star rated FULL SIZE G. Marquis, or Crown Vic., which is also an
Edmund's Used Car Best Bet. Repair parts don't cost as much as Euro parts either.

 

[vi edit]

Oh Christ. Somebody dumped a nickel in Ornery.

 

[Ornery]

"Safest Sedan (read family car) of 2003/2004 for around $22,000?"

I thoroughly answered the question. You?