Honda Fit vs. Nissan Versa vs. Toyota Matrix

M

MaClaire

Guest
Just found this site, thank goodness!!!

We need to buy a new or used car and I'm considering the models in the subject line.

About us: family of three with an almost 2 yo dd (28 lbs). She's in a RF Roundabout. We're planning to have another baby in early 2009. We live in Los Angeles: LOTS of driving. My priorities are safety, cost, and fuel efficiency.

Questions:

1. Can you safely LATCH a carseat in the middle position in any of these vehicles? I can't seem to get a straight answer.

2. The Fit has higher safety ratings overall, but the side-impact rear is only 3 stars (Versa has 5 stars). This worries me. Should it?

3. If we buy a Matrix, it will be used. Side airbags was an *option* in 2005 or later models. How does one confirm that a used model DOES have the side airbags?

4. Do some Matrix models have Electronic Stability Control (decreases roll fatalities by about 43%)? Neither the Fit or the Versa have this as an option. Again, can't seem to find this information online.

Thanks for your help!

Jessica
 
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scatterbunny

New member
Have you checked informedforlife.org ? That site is great because it combines crash scores and other info from a variety of sources and gives you a pretty straightforward understanding of the safety of various vehicles. :)
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Ditto on the informedforlife.org site, it's a very helpful tool for comparing vehicles. :thumbsup:

Neither Honda, Nissan, nor Toyota allow lower LATCH anchor installations in the center rear seating position in those vehicles. The models you're considering have dedicated lower LATCH anchors only in the rear outboard seating positions, and these three vehicle manufacturers are among those that currently don't allow you to borrow the inner anchors from the outboard seating positions to install in the center. You would install in the center using the seatbelt, which isn't technically less safe than using LATCH. Neither method is considered more or less safe than the other. :) The key is to achieve less than one inch of movement at the child restraint's belt path using whichever allowed installation method. :)

If the Matrix has side curtain airbags, there would be some visual indicators you can look for on the vehicle, like "SRS" or similar labeling or badges on the windshield pillars, and/or the rear door frames/pillars.

I'm not certain about stability control in the Matrix. I think it was first offered as an option starting in the '06 or '07 model year on the similar Pontiac Vibe model (which is also essentially a Corolla wagon, as is the Matrix) so maybe it would be the same model year time frame for stability control availability in the Matrix.
 

southpawboston

New member
just watch out for informedforlife.org because if a particular crash test wasn't done on a car you're checking out on their database, it defaults the score for that test to "average". this can bring the overall score down below what it might be in real life. for example, if IIHS did a side impact test on a car and the car got a "good" rating (the best), but NHTSA didn't do a side impact test on that car, informedforlife will score the car "average" for the NHTSA side impact. chances are, if IIHS gives a "good" rating for a side impact, then the NHTSA score will be similar. so rather than leave a particular test blank and not have it contribute to the overall score of the car, informedforlife assumes an "average" score. it can be misleading if you don't take the time to read thoroughly how they base their scores. it's still a good site to play around with, but be sure to read up on how they score cars.

what i think is a better way to judge the safety of a car is to just go to the individual crash test report sites and evaluate the information yourself:

iihs.org
safercars.gov
 

willoL

New member
FWIW, I test drove both the Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa before I bought my new car this summer (July 2007), and my Britax Wizard fit SIGNIFICANTLY better in the Versa than in the Fit. I was able to get a decent fit in the Fit only with the top tether, and I didn't LOVE the install. I got the seat to fit decently even before attaching the top tether in the Versa, which always makes me feel more secure, even though I still use the tether.

Although my 4 yo is in a FF Britax Wizard, I also did a quick install of that same seat RF because I had a newborn at the time and, while he isn't yet in that style of seat (still in Graco Snugride), I wanted to get an idea of how it would do if I chose to use that seat RF. I believe that I got a decent install in the Versa and was very unhappy with the install in the Fit, but that could've been due to the much smaller backseat area.

The relatively ample rear passenger space was a primary factor in my decision to buy a Nissan Versa--I believe in buying the smallest/most efficient car to suit one's needs for environmental reasons, but, of course, one must MEET one's needs!!! :)

--willo
 

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