Crash Test Tuesday: Geo Vs. Chevy C2500

We thought it’d be fun to showcase some of our tools using a new series we call Crash Test Tuesday. This week, we’re going to start with a simple car crash. Who do you think would win in this crash – Geo Metro vs. 3/4 Ton pickup truck.

Or maybe a better question, how well is the Geo designed? Can it handle the impact?

First, let’s look at our contenders.

Geo Metro

Our first contender, weighing in at a meager 1500 lb, with a top speed of 93 mph, 0-60 in 7 years, the Geo Metro!

And the crash test rating? – 4/5 stars!

How can that be? It’s such a small car!

Well, the Geo was designed to absorb energy, transferring it around the passenger compartment like a Faraday cage. It’s like a secret weapon.

Chevy C2500

Our second contender, weighing in at a whopping 4300 lbs (almost 3 times the Geo), with a power output of 230 hp, the Chevy C2500!

The C2500 was tested by the NHTSA, and it received 4/5 stars!

Crash Test

Both vehicles received a 4/5 stars on their crash tests, so this should be a fair test right?

I ran a test, crashing these cars together at a relative speed of 55 mph (27.5 mph each).

Let’s look at the results.

I think the truck won.

Safety Cage

The most important part of a car in a crash test is the safety cage. After all, that’s where the people are stored!

The Geo did way better than I expected, but there was one issue. Look at the image below, see the wrinkle at the top of the safety cage? That’s a weakness, The safety cage buckled, which means that it’s not going to transmit force around the cage. The Faraday cage is broken, and the passengers would be in danger.

That sums up this week’s crash test. Join us next week for a new crash test! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.