donkeykang

I was wondering how they compare. I've read on the forum that the TL is an extremely safe car. In comparison to the IS300 does it own it? or more so evenly matched?

Thanks

Ken1997TL

The IS300 is an extremely safe car. However the TL is newer and based on the Accord. This is a good thing as the Accord has an extremely rigid body, stiffer than a Mercedes S-class except for bending rigidity. I would say both are excellent choices and you can't go wrong with either. Here is some info in favor of the Accord/TL.


Quote from Honda: "Honda carefully benchmarked the competition - the best of the midsize segment and even more expensive passenger-car segments - when engineering the 2003 Accord. For chassis rigidity engineers benchmarked the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4 and A6, and even the Mercedes-Benz S Class. In torsional rigidity, the new Accord tops them all, and is second only to the Mercedes-Benz S Class in bending rigidity."

Here is some more in regards to safety efforts for the Accord:

An all-out engineering effort was made to ensure that the new Accord would rank at the top of the midsize class in the safety crash tests conducted by the U.S. government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the private Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These tests include frontal (both NCAP and certification tests), IIHS offset frontal, side impact (NCAP and certification) and rear end impact. Among the most rigorous is the IIHS 40 mph offset frontal, where the entire impact energy is focused on the left-front corner of the vehicle. The new Accord is targeted to achieve a "Good" rating, the best rating possible. In the challenging 35 mph NCAP frontal collision, a "Five Star" rating is expected. In side-impact tests, the new Accords are expected to earn a NCAP "Five Star" rating for front and rear occupants when equipped with front-side airbags (side airbags not available on DX sedan, optional on 4-cylinder LX models, standard on all other models). The Accord is joining an exclusive group of cars, such as the Volvo S60 and Lexus IS300 that achieve this very high level of performance. Even when not equipped with side airbags, the Accord is expected to earn a "Four Star" side impact rating.

Ken1997TL

Here is a link in regards to the TL and TSX's crash ratings:

http://www.hondanews.com/CatID3011?m...44916&mime=asc

rets

Also, you could check out the safety section insides Garage.

1SICKLEX

The IS 300 is one of the safest cars on the road, sharing a shorter GS 300/430 platform. I was surprised it performed so well in tests. From my understanding, the TL is a pretty safe car too.

missmyprelude

Both are very safe. You might get more passive safety from the TL in the event you do get into an accident, but the IS is very quick and has proven to be excellent in emergency lane change manuevers, so avoiding that accident might be easier in the IS.

For what it's worth, I invest more in safety from the driver point of view than in the car. I've taken driver training that will help me avoid accidents and keep the car in control. Luckily, I have never been in an accident and don't plan to. In the event that I do, I expect that both cars would perform well (I have a TL, my wife an IS).