I know this isn’t something many of us want to think about, but I have a 2020 LS model. Recently, while driving my parents somewhere, I noticed something alarming. My dad was in the passenger seat, and my mom was in the back. We were in a parking lot looking for a spot, and I parked between a minivan and a pickup truck. All the other vehicles in the lot were significantly larger, with the front end of the pickup truck towering over my car. The wheels of the minivan were enormous, making my Spark look tiny in comparison, almost like a toy. My dad pointed out the size of the cars around us and mentioned that this small car is making him anxious.
Personally, I’ve been rear-ended and came away with minimal damage, just a slight issue with the bumper. So, I have confidence in my car!
North American safety standards are among the strictest globally.
If a vehicle is permitted to be sold in the USA and Canada, it’s safe enough.
I’m confident it passed all the essential road tests required for commercial sale.
For its class, it’s considered safe, and the safety ratings confirm this.
The problem is that, despite these ratings, the car’s weight is significantly lower than that of the average vehicle, especially in the U.S. When involved in a collision with a larger vehicle, the smaller car will experience a greater change in speed, which negatively affects the occupants. Since the Spark is typically the smaller car, it’s not ideal, as shown by the fatality statistics.
While it’s certainly an improvement over older cars, let’s be honest: it isn’t the safest option available.
I took a front-end hit from a Dodge, but it’s just been fully repaired. I have a 2021 1LT.