Top Safety Pick + Top Safety Pick criteria

2017 Toyota Prius

small car / 4-door hatchback

Award applies only to vehicles built after August 2016

2017 Toyota Prius 4-door hatchback

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Headlights (varies by trim/option)
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Standard system
Superior

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use
+

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Toyota Prius Two Eco 4-door

The Toyota Prius was redesigned for the 2016 model year and the Prius Prime was introduced in the 2017 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1607
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 3
Footrest (cm) 2
Left toepan (cm) 1
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Parking brake (cm) 4
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 0
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 5
Upper dash (cm) 3
Lower instrument panel (cm) 3

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1607
Head
HIC-15 237
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.4
Extension bending moment (Nm) 15
Maximum Nij 0.23
Chest maximum compression (mm) 25
Femur (kN)
Left 0.6
Right 0.8
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.46
Right 0.32
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.2
Right 2.5
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 40
Right 58

How the driver-side small overlap front test is conducted

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Toyota Prius Two 4-door

The Toyota Prius was redesigned for the 2016 model year and the Prius Prime was introduced in the 2017 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Toyota as part of frontal crash test verification.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTF1606
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 2
Left (cm) 5
Center (cm) 6
Right (cm) 8
Brake pedal (cm) 3
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 1
Right (cm) 0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -1
Rearward (cm) -6
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 1

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTF1606
Head
HIC-15 196
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Extension bending moment (Nm) 13
Maximum Nij 0.26
Chest maximum compression (mm) 28
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.6
Femur force - right (kN) 0.6
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 1
Maximum tibia index - left 0.41
Maximum tibia index - right 0.75
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.2
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.7
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 52
Right 114

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Toyota Prius Two 4-door

The Toyota Prius was redesigned for the 2016 model year and the Prius Prime was introduced in the 2017 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Toyota as part of side crash test verification.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTS1606
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -17.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTS1606
Head HIC-15 434
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Compression (kN) 0.0
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 31
Lateral force (kN) 1.5
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 42
Average deflection (mm) 37
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 4.70
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.63
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 3.3
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.9
Combined force (kN) 5.2
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.2
L-M moment (Nm) 21
A-P moment (Nm) -87

Passenger injury measures

Test ID VTS1606
Head HIC-15 162
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.3
Compression (kN) 0.5
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 37
Lateral force (kN) 1.3
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 41
Average deflection (mm) 28
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.60
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.52
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.1
Acetabulum force (kN) 0.8
Combined force (kN) 0.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 2.1
L-M moment (Nm) 70
A-P moment (Nm) -234

How the side crash test is conducted

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Toyota Prius Two 4-door

Rating applies to the Toyota Prius (tested) and the structurally similar Toyota Prius Prime.

Overall evaluation
Curb weight 3,081 lbs
Peak force 17,481 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio 5.67

How the roof strength test is conducted

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Manual cloth seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Manual cloth seat
Geometry
Backset (mm) 24
Distance below top of head (mm) 10
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 14.5
Head contact time (ms) 59
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 0
Max neck tension (N) 269

How the head restraint & seat test is conducted
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • All trims; built after August 2016
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual right curve, fair on the sharp right and sharp left curves, and inadequate on the gradual left curve.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual right curve and inadequate on the sharp right and both left curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on both left curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • All trims
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-18 models built after August 2016
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 132.5 m 4.0%
Straightaway left edge 51.1 m 4.0%
250m radius right curve, right edge 66.3 m None
250m radius left curve, right edge 49.0 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 54.8 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 48.0 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 153.8 m
Straightaway left edge 143.0 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 65.6 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 63.5 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 53.8 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 51.8 m

Trim level(s)

  • All trims; built before September 2016
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Excessive glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp right curve and fair on the gradual right and both left curves.

The low beams created excessive glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and fair on the left side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on the gradual right curve.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • All trims
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2016-17 models built before September 2016
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 143.7 m 118.0%
Straightaway left edge 57.1 m 118.0%
250m radius right curve, right edge 63.6 m 16.6%
250m radius left curve, left edge 57.1 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 55.1 m 2.7%
150m radius left curve, left edge 51.6 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 148.0 m
Straightaway left edge 138.4 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 64.3 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 64.0 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 54.1 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 53.3 m

How headlights are evaluated

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2017-20 models

Superior
Superior
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

How front crash prevention is evaluated

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Overall evaluation
+
extra LATCH positions
Vehicle trim Two / LE
Seat type cloth

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors from the other seating positions.

Note: When anchors are borrowed, they aren't available to use in their designated positions.

Overall evaluation
+
extra LATCH positions
Vehicle trim Two / LE
Seat type cloth
1 2 3
G Good
A Acceptable
M Marginal
P Poor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
Can be borrowed from 1 and 3
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 91
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 89
Tether anchor
Location Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present Yes
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
Yes

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
Lower latch is shared for this seat position
Lower anchor B
Lower latch is shared for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
Yes

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 90
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 90
Tether anchor
Location Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present Yes
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
Yes

How child seat anchors are evaluated