[bandwagon]

I voted for no. I have a Honda Brio without airbags and ABS coupled with the rear glass, I don't really feel safe.

[cruising_rapid]

I have a Honda Brio and a Skoda Rapid in my garage and both these cars come with safety kit which includes two airbags, ABS+EBD.

The baby Honda had met with an accident in which both the airbags were deployed and the car had turned upside down. All the occupants were wearing seat belts and they crawled out of the car without a scratch. This entrenched my belief in buying a safe car.

Rapid was a complete package and it's built quality along with its handling is reassuring enough for any drive within sane speed limits. Additionally, I upgraded the horrible JK tires to 205/55 S Drives and it has since become more sure footed both on arrow straight roads and corners alike.

So, while I feel cocooned in the cars owing to their build quality and safety kit, the conduct of fellow drivers and magnitude of emergency arising thereafter can not be commented upon.

[Nits83]

I think to feel safe and being safe are different.
You can feel safe in a car till you have driven a better car (ride,handling and safety)

When I started driving I used to feel safe in my Alto K10, but after having driven other better cars I don't have the same confidence in it.

Even my current i20 Active SX(O) leaves a lot to be desired at high speeds. In short doesn't inspire confidence and doesn't make me feel safe while pushing it.

In my opinion for the car to feel safe it should have good handling and build quality and for the car to be safe it should have decent safety kits and features.

[ssambyal1980]

Broadly speaking, feeling safe in a car depends upon internal and external factors.

Internal Factors: The type of car body whether monocoque or ladder on frame. As far as crash safety is concerned monocoque frame has an edge over ladder on frame. The monocoque frame absorbs the impact forces better thereby minimizing the transfer of shock to the passengers. Therefore a car with monocoque frame feels more safe. Earlier the cars like Premier Padmini and Ambassador used to have ladder on frame but now all the cars being manufactured have monocoque frame. Apart from safety offered the monocoque frame vehicles have better handling and maneuvering characterstics. The safety features available in a vehicle also play a crucial role. A car fitted with SRS Airbags, EBD and ABS will make one feel more secure and safe than a car which sans these features. Reiterating again, a car which has excellent maneuverability and handling will also make one feel safe and confident while driving.

External Factors: No matter how safe and agile vehicle one drives the external factors play a substantial role in safety. For instance driving on four/six/eight lane highways with a divider will be safer as compared to driving on two lane highways without dividers. Then driving on narrow mountain roads without guard rails and parapets by the sides will be quite strenuous and unsafe in comparison with a drive on wider mountain roads with all safety measures in place. Also driving amidst a disciplined traffic is a pleasant experience rather than meandering your way through careless drivers who hardly care about traffic rules. Then the road engineering also plays a crucial role in safety. A well laid out highway with proper signage; proper exit/entry points, safe intersections etc will no doubt contribute towards making driving pretty safer.

[46TheDoctor]

Currently i drive a renault koleos 4x4 AT and i feel totally safe for the following factors:

1. Predictable and safe handling removing any fears about vehicle rolling over in crashes, it being a SUV.
2. Full mechanical and electronic safety kit with 6 airbags.
3. Good crash protection on most of the europian crash test parameters.
4. There is good cabin width and enough space inside which keeps the occupants at some distance from the point of contact with other vehicles in case it happens.

Experienced this first hand a few months back when a drunk truck driver rammed strongly in sideways into my car on rear right side door while switching lanes abruptly without noticing the vehicles in the adjacent lanes. I am totally sure that the truck's bumper would have entered my car's cabin had it been one of the more popular but lesser built cars. But, in this case, none! Side impact beams in doors and structural safety took care of the impact very well.

[Guite]

Yes, I feel safe, to varying degree.

Getz was bought ten years back. It never had airbag option. We bought it with the best it had to offer: sturdy build (not comparing with European cars) and ABS.

Vento was bought few years back. It has sturdy build, feels very stable at any speed, has ABS, ESP and dual airbags.

[govindremesh]

As many members pointed out, its not just the car that should make you safe - Its a combination of car + your driving style. All the safety features in a car are backup to protect you if the horrible happens, which could become features tested on a daily basis if one drives their car recklessly or without knowing the limits of the car.

16 years spent with our family Alto, never did we feel unsafe. Yes, as it aged and the roads became better, there was a certain low confidence at speeds above 80 KMPH, but that did not prevent us from taking her on a 750 KM trip in a single shot through a highway where cars usually cruise at triple digit speeds. (Nagercoil to Bangalore via Madurai).

On the other hand, the introduction of 2015 City iVtec did tempt me and boy I was wrong! The car did save us in 3 instances which tested its high speed stability, road grip and ABS, respectively. Had such a situation occurred when I was driving my Alto, I would probably not be writing this. But then, I never went to crazy speeds with the Alto, as I did with the City (which resulted in those unpleasant situations!)

Finally, I quote what one of my dad's driver said to me when I was young

"Aapki driving aur upar waale ki kripa, yeh dono me se ek bhi kharab ho toh na hi ABS ya Airbag aapko bacha sakti hai"

(Translation: If either of your driving style or your blessings from the almighty are bad, no ABS or Airbag can save you)

Cheers!

[Akshay2010]

I have Corolla Altis VL 2018 and Honda City 2004.
I feel very safe in Altis due to disc brakes (all wheels), decent build quality, and 7 airbags. However, Honda City 2004 feels very unsafe. It doesn't have Airbags, ABS etc. Also I never take it on highways; Honda has named it 'City' and it is indeed a city car for me.

[Satish Pari]

I feel safe when I'm in my 2017 Skoda Rapid. Being my first car, I made sure that it has the necessary safety features. But as other members pointed out, safety also depends on how the others drive on the road as well as how carefully we drive. In my opinion defensive driving is the best option.

[typlo]

I voted yes, but I DO NOT feel safe while on the road. It is not my car that makes me feel unsafe, but the other drivers (if you live in Delhi, NCR, you know what I'm talking about). Everyone just disregards safety and goes all Michael Schumacher on the right pedal, speeding up, abruptly slowing down, swerving for no reason. I do not understand the need for the 'rat in a maze' behaviour of the people in my city. They just make me feel unsafe and anxious about my next move, speeding up knowingly just when I'm about to change lanes after indicating. I highly doubt any car will make me feel safe about driving out there (eastern and southern states fare better, however).

[callvvijay]

Have voted a BIG-NO - not on my humble 10-year old Alto. But this NO is on my Hyundai Xcent Top-End SX(O) - loaded with ABS and driver/passenger airbags

I'm forced to vote for a no - and am sure my answer would be unique here.

My vote is not by the standards of the safety/protection my car gives in case of an accident.

Then, why no?? Because, the steering is so damn stiff that every time I drive the car, I end up getting pain in my shoulder and back. I was pushed to a bed-ridden state for 2 months after a drive to Coimbatore and back in 2016.

I had written about my case in the Xcent ownership thread as well.

So, in short, my case is not about the one-off case of an accident and its not about whether my car is protecting me in such case of accident in a highway. But, its about how my car is treating me on a day-to-day runs. How safe it keeps me in the city bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The car is now 2.5 year old and I have driven it for just 10K kms - all thanks to the steering stiffness.

Every time I take the car to Hyundai service center, they check it and say "everything is normal sir".

I had also written to Hyundai customer care and got a ticket assigned for the same. And worst part is, Hyundai did not even bother to call me up/mail me to check if my issue is resolved by the service center.

[DriverNo.420]

Yes. I feel safe in both my cars. The Maruti Suzuki SX4, one of the better made in India Maruti. A maruti that weight 1250Kgs. Doors shut with a decent thud. ABS, EBD and 2 Airbags on offer on a 8 Year old car. And all those crash tests of India Spec SX4 make me feel safe. The general maruti traits such as rattles, low quality switch-gear are still there.

Hyundai Creta. Having 6 Airbags, Standard Safety features, Tough build( Though Sheet metal presses with thumb. This is not the case with SX4.) and much speculated HIVE Body Structure make me feel safe and my family feel safe.

[hema4saran]

I feel safe in almost all the cars as long as I am in USA. But the moment I land in India, all these hired Innovas, Etios and Dzires makes me feel unsafe. More so because of the driving patterns in India. But few of the cabs and its drivers used by our family are much better. They are patient, follow rules and driving safe most of the times. But I can't say the same with other drivers on road.

[Pratyush2407]

In the city- Yes.
Out on the highway - No.
Although my Honda City is equipped with 2 Airbags, ABS and EBD, it’s light build just does not inspire confidence on the highway. My i20 does not have any safety features and with the lack of ABS, panic braking is downright scary.

[SJM1214]

We own an MS Brezza, Honda WRV and two Swift Dzire( at the office). I feel confident with Honda cars. I can proudly say that I feel safe in our WRV. However, I never felt that confident and safe in my MS Brezza(which is my regular and primary car) until the news of Brezza scoring 4 stars at NCAP test came. This news gave me peace of mind and now I feel safe in my Brezza.