Safety in an aircooled VW Beetle?

Question

How safe were these cars when they were new? How well did they hold up in an accident? Certainly they were better than a Pinto, Corvair, or Colt.

Answer 1

Air-cooled VWs are underpowered, with skinny tires. they are susceptible to crosswinds and prone to abrupt transitions to oversteer. Survival in a head-on crash is unlikely. there are safer choices.

Answer 2

I can tell you my dad's brother died in one when the car spun out and tumbled off the highway. He was trying to avoid a head on collision with another car.

If safety is great concern, get yourself a Volvo 240 sedan from the about '85 - '89. These were the best years, IMO. The earlier ones had issues with rust protection. ...and the very first year model was 1 star rated but was 5 star rated for the following model year. The later models had the early airbag system that might have electrical problems.

The 740 and 940 Volvos are just as safe but are more complicated to repair.

btw..Have you ever owned a Corvair? My dad has owned several..new. They handled better and were far faster than the Beetle. The body was also stronger than the Beetle's so I would expect it to be safer....no matter what Ralph Nader says.

Answer 3

It was about as safe as those cars, but no more. It's a very old car, and testing was a bit hit or miss in those days. It is no safety icon, I can tell you that. Having said that, you'd have to have a pretty bad accident to be hurt in the thing. The cars you mention are safer than you intimate. If safety is your issue, get an old Volvo, Benz, or Saab.  

Answer 4

They were a very unsafe vehicle overall, zero protection.