Toyota Prius, Prime perform well in NHTSA, IIHS crash tests

Toyota’s Prius hybrid and Prius Prime Plug-in hybrid models performed well in crash tests conducted by both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and, more recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Hybrid Cars notes that the IIHS results were the best in the history of the model. The new Prius Prime, the next generation of the Prius plug-in, will go on sale in the US later this year.

The IIHS gave the Prius a “good” crash-test rating across the board, meaning front, side, roof and head restraints all performed well, and its optional crash-avoidance system was deemed “superior.” The Prius improved its front crash rating from the 2015 model-year, which received “acceptable” ratings.

NHTSA gave the Prius and Prius Prime a five-star overall safety rating, though frontal and rollover ratings were four stars. NHTSA video can be viewed above and the IIHS crash-test video can be found below. Grab some popcorn if you like this sort of thing.

A few years ago, the 2014 model-year Prius saw its NHTSA crash-test rating drop from five stars to four despite the fact that the model didn’t change. That sure appeared to flummox Toyota at the time.

Safety aside, the updated Prime will double its all-electric range to 22 miles and will be able to go as fast as 84 miles per hour on electricity alone. We just drove a prototype for a short first drive. And despite overall safety improvements by vehicle makers, some notable vehicles still fall short of the Prius’s safety ratings. In May, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger all failed to get top safety ratings from IIHS, with the Challenger proving to be an especially risky ride.