This was my take when people suggest older cars as an alternative. Safety has improved dramatically in the past 20-30 years, especially with side impacts where fatalities or serious injury can be common. It's one of the few reservations I have when driving my '91 BMW.
Yeah, this resonates. I don't need maximum comfort in my vehicle, and I don't think the electronic and technology features are necessary. But I do think about safety and I do have reservations when driving, depending on where I'm going and how I need to drive to get there. I do know that if I was t-boned I'd be toast, and I often think about buying a new car just for the upgrades with airbags, materials, construction, etc. But the joy of driving the car, the familiarity and feel of the car on the road in all weather, the intuition behind the wheel...I just really love it.