Old car vs new...which is better....2008 Merc S class vs 2014 Fiesta

[ordi]

Having a discussion with my younger mate, Junior about how some old things compare to their newer counterparts. So I said, a Merc S -class is often said to be ahead of its time and how there's some tech on the 10year-old Merc that isn't even found on more-recent cars (like his 2014 Fiesta), or is only just appearing on newer cars.
And then we turn to safety. Junior lauds his Fiesta is 5star rated NCAP and he believes it's safer than the 2008 S-class. He'd rather be in his 2014 Fiesta if it crashed headlong into the 2008 S-class. I'd have thought the much larger, heavier S-class would be safer?? Any thoughts anyone.

 

[QuattroCalum]

Having a discussion with my younger mate, Junior about how some old things compare to their newer counterparts. So I said, a Merc S -class is often said to be ahead of its time and how there's some tech on the 10year-old Merc that isn't even found on more-recent cars (like his 2014 Fiesta), or is only just appearing on newer cars.
And then we turn to safety. Junior lauds his Fiesta is 5star rated NCAP and he believes it's safer than the 2008 S-class. He'd rather be in his 2014 Fiesta if it crashed headlong into the 2008 S-class. I'd have thought the much larger, heavier S-class would be safer?? Any thoughts anyone.

I know which one I'd rather be in and it doesn't have a blue oval badge, that's for sure!

 

[SteveMcB]

Having a discussion with my younger mate, Junior about how some old things compare to their newer counterparts. So I said, a Merc S -class is often said to be ahead of its time and how there's some tech on the 10year-old Merc that isn't even found on more-recent cars (like his 2014 Fiesta), or is only just appearing on newer cars.
And then we turn to safety. Junior lauds his Fiesta is 5star rated NCAP and he believes it's safer than the 2008 S-class. He'd rather be in his 2014 Fiesta if it crashed headlong into the 2008 S-class. I'd have thought the much larger, heavier S-class would be safer?? Any thoughts anyone.

Fiesta will be better for pedestrian safety - hence the 5 stars, in a head on at the same speed Merc, will have about twice the momentum as well as a much stronger safety cell, you'll open the door and walk away shaken, possibly stirred, he'll be sharing the boot with his engine.

 

[beemerboy9]

There might not be a great deal of difference at crash test speeds, but possibly more at higher speeds.
Mercedes for me as well - though I would not want to find out.

 

[Guest]

A quick internet search confirmed my thoughts that NCAP test results are only comparable between vehicles of the same mass (within 150kg). Frontal collisions are undertaken between cars of similar size. In a collision between two vehicles of the same NCAP rating the heavier vehicle will be the 'safer'.
JS