Trying to pin a term like "unsafe" on a car is an exercise in futility. There are so many variables, that I haven't seen anyone assemble them into a rational combination that corrects for all of them.

Sure, a little car will lose if it collides with something more massive. But the more massive car might flip over more easily, or be harder to control on wet roads. Multiply this sort of apple/orange thing many times.

Cars used to be steel and iron. When mileage needed to improve, they cut this down, and things got thinner and lighter. Less safe? Maybe from one standpoint. On the other hand, clever designs now have the front end of a car crumple and protect the passenger compartment in a collision instead of shoving a V-8 engine up your nose.

Cars are MUCH better than they were thirty years ago. No contest. The downside is you can't really work on them yourselves any more.

When it comes down to it, I buy a car that has the room and features I need. I make sure it has certain safety features if they aren't standard. I used to have to specify anti-lock brakes as an option. Pretty much standard, now.

The problem with this argument is the same as with most other issues: Both sides are trying to sell you something.