Newbie questions: Yaris and child safety, buying used, compared to Scion, etc.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by supmet

That's scary if you pull out in front of snow plows on a daily basis, but that's a one in a million crash. I recommend the side air bags, but that's one of the most retarded test setups I've seen. The front end of the test sled is taller and more solid than any vehicle on the road. Its like it was custom built to hit the yaris' sweet spot. Plus, a sitting car(when's the last time you got t-boned sitting still) has more resistance to sideways force than a moving car. I'll bet 999/1000 real world tests with a moving yaris and any pick of t-boning cars at 30 mph - the yaris driver walks away with minor cuts and bruises, curtain air bags or not.

on a side - I like how the narrator says "with the curtain air bags, the driver and back passengers are likely to not receive AAAANNNYYY injury" right as the neck on the back passenger is exploding into pieces from the force of the airbag

-there are plenty of larger vehicles that would intrude into a small car at those points. there are many stationary objects that could intrude at all points high and low (think telephone pole or tree). at very high speeds, it may not matter, but at more reasonable speeds, that side airbag could make all the difference.

-side impacts are not a "one in a million" event



to the OP, no, side airbags would not make it legal to have a smaller child in the front seat. there are side curtain airbags in the rear of all 2009 yaris. i also agree that if you want a sedan, you might as well see what kind of price you can work for a corolla vs a yaris sedan.