at the end of the day, they are as safe as most small vehicles in the 80s. which is to say they are safer than most anything made in the 70s and way safer than anything made before that. but a modern car with modern crumple zones and airbags and stiff rollover requirements is just leaps and bounds ahead of the old stuff. which is as it should be.
but any car is safer than any motorcycle, so it's all relative and you have to choose what level your happy with.