I want to buy a Prius but I'm concerned that it only received 4 stars from NHTSA for front and side impact. I did notice that the car tested came without side airbags so I'm hoping with the side curtain airbags the results would be higher. I'm also interested in the '07 camry but there are no safety ratings on this model yet. The '06 Camry didn't fair that well but once again they tested the vehicle without side curtain airbags.

Does anyone have any input regarding the safety of the Prius?

Any speculation on the '07 Camry Hybrid?

My wife is loving her 5 star crash rated Highlander Hybrid.

 

Different testing protocols, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the Prius with side curtain airbags "Good" ratings for both frontal offset and side impact tests. "Good" is the best rating that IIHS gives.

http://tinyurl.com/grcyq

Same goes for the Camry, up to the 2006 model. They show 2007 with "Good" frontal offset, but don't show a rating for side impact test for 2007.

http://tinyurl.com/orb3h

 

A good reference for car safety are the Euro NCAP tests, these are more stringent than the US federal tests (NHTSA), and at least as stringent as the IIHS tests.

In the Euro NCAP tests the 2004 Prius with side airbags (std in Europe) got 5 stars, the highest ratings:

http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...?id1=3&id2=193

The only test I know of where the Prius did not fare that well was in rear impact testing (IIHS), on account of poor seat and head restraint design:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=566
otherwise the PII with side bags has the highest ratings of good. Without side bags it has the lowest possible rating of Poor for side impact, which basically means:
get side airbags!

 

Since the NHTSA test reflects a crash between two similar vehicles, the ratings could be a bit skewed. The is a good chance you could be hit by a larger vehicle, in which case the damage inflicted on both the vehicle and occupants would be greater. Of course this is not a Prius specific situation.

As with MPG estimates, the crash ratings are guidelines and not absolute. I really love my Prius and feel safe enough in it, however I never feel safe when driving around Excursions, Hummers, etc. I seriously doubt I'd be on the winning side in a tangle with these oversized vehicles.

 

A little elaboration: The frontal (NHTSA) and frontal offset (IIHS) tests do indeed simulate a collision with a vehicle of similar weight. They do this by "driving" the vehicle into a stationary barrier.

The side impact tests are done differently. A barrier is crashed into a stationary car. The weight of the barrier does not vary based on the size of the car being tested, so the "car" that is hitting the test car is the same for every car tested.

FWIW, IIHS uses a heavier side impact barrier, but it moves slower than the one used by NHTSA. It is also somewhat higher on the point of impact, something closer to a pickup or SUV hitting you.

BTW, I have had the pleasure of watching a demonstration test at the IIHS testing facility. It wasn't either of the "official" tests, it was a new test they're thinking of doing in the future. They crashed a vehicle head-on into a fixed concrete pole, with the point of impact dead center of the front of the vehicle. It was really cool. Parts flew everywhere!

 

David,

Thanks for the clarification!

 

here's a test film of a prius hitting something head on & the passenger compartment looks pretty well intact.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpIg7uUHtBY&search=prius

 

Here's an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety video (wait for the ad to complete) that shows dramatically the difference between a side curtain airbag equipped 2006 Prius and one that doesn't have it.

http://www.cartv.com/content/researc...ure&vscat=NULL[/quote]

 

a very interesting movie, showing why side airbags are important.