Others were fussing about how ugly the new front end looked, I argued that it was redesigned to perform this test.
Wow! That's one ugly bumper. I'll keep my 2012"v," avoid the small overlap crash and those defective ends on the guard rails, too.
Just goes to show how much market influence the IIHS has. Granted, it is for the greater good of society (better to be safe than sorry), and you really cannot predict what kind of a crash you will be in. But, nothing is more important to automobile safety than the drivers in control of these several thousand pound battering rams and their mentality to safe driving. That is what I think people are missing from all of these NHTSA/IIHS opinions and crash test results. Everyone thinks an S-class Mercedes-Benz is a fortress of an automobile, but we all know that irresponsible drivers and passengers have died in accidents involving those cars. At the same time, one might be lucky to have survive a small-overlap crash in a measly little Prius C that I have heard people comment on "looking overly fragile". I know this isn't the most scientific of comparisons, but the concept of driving safety applies to every driver and every car.
Like you said; a careful and cautious well trained driver is better than any other active or passive mechanical device. I just wonder if any machine will ever be able to land an airplane like the controlled crash at Sioux City, Iowa or Chesley Sullenburger on the Hudson River.
Unfortunately, no mater how safely and in control I drive, I cannot control how others drive. I've gone 49 years without a single at-fault accident although I've been hit numerous times - four times in the past 15 years while completely stopped in traffic with two of those resulting in major damage and with me being injured. Several months ago a driver in the highway lane to the left of me braked sharply to maybe 25 mph and then swerved in front of me while I was driving my Sienna at about 55 mph. Before I even got my right foot off the gas pedal, PCS slammed on the brakes very hard and my seatbelt tightened more forcefully than I ever imagined it could. I must have missed hitting him by a few inches and my chest hurt the rest of the day from the seatbelt force. I'll take all the crash absorption and prevention technology I can get. Oh ... and everybody stop playing with their phones while driving. I may take a tire iron to the next A-hole that hits my vehicle while playing with a handheld phone. I wonder if PCS has been made more effective on the 2015 Prius v since the IIHS labeled PCS on the last generation as being ineffective: IIHS launches front crash prevention ratings
Gathered Prius Vee’erz - I did an open-hood, cursory “Back-Of-The-Envelope” visual inspection and assessment of the front chassis area of the new, 2015 Prius v(vee). While I assume the frontal area was beefed up, I could see no noticeable, observable structural changes made to the MY2015 v(vee)’s chassis design in and around the engine compartment, and the front fire wall area, as compared to that which is present, and observable in my 2012 v(vee) [i.e. MY2012, MY2013, MY2014 Prius v(vee) design build]. When I shared this observation of mine with the Toyota representative who was accompanying me, and I pressed him about what Toyota actually did to the 2015 Prius v(vee)’s design to get it up from a POOR Rating in the IIHS Small Overlap Front Crash Test, to a GOOD Rating, I was told that Toyota made changes-modifications to the deployment and coverage of the air bags on the front cockpit corner areas of the 2015 v(vee). The changed-modified deployment and coverage of the frontal and side curtain air bags in the 2015 v(vee), does a better job of protecting and keeping the Crash Dummy’s Head & Etcetera (or your Pudding Pod, in an IIHS Small Overlap Front equivalent crash) from impacting any stiff structures (A-Pillar, et. al.) or outside objects that could cause harm, than did/does the “Crash Design” in the 2012-2014 v(vee)s. This is GOOD driver-passenger safety news. The lesser “GOOD” news is that the 2015 Prius v(vee) Five Station Wagon equipped with the optional $3,335 Advanced Technology Package (i.e. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System & Lane Departure Alert “Safety Bell & Whistles”) only earns an ADVANCED (3||| of 6|||||| Green Safety Bars) Front Crash Prevention Rating, whereas, the 2015 Subaru Forester Station Wagon equipped with the optional $1,295 EyeSight® Driver Assist Safety Technology Package (Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking & Lane Departure Alert) earns a SUPERIOR (6|||||| of 6|||||| Green Safety Bars) Front Crash Prevention Rating.
I thought they changed the materials of the door hinge pillar area to higher-strength steel to resist intrusion. But I could be wrong
J L - It seems like that would be a prudent re-engineering thing to do as part of a safety design shortfall "Fix." However, there is no way of knowing/judging, by just from looking at the painted chassis, what improvement to the pillar/door frame/hinge materials may or may not have been done to improve "Crash Worthiness."
Bisco - The nose, frontal area may appear big and honking in photos, but not so "big honking'" when standing fender-side next to the 2015 Prius v(vee). When you open the hood and look around in the front area, it looks like it has similar structures and dimensions to the overall engine compartment, radiator & grille, parts and pieces in the 2012-2014 v's. In my judgment, the "big honking' nose," to which you refer, looks to be providing zero additional structural contribution to improve "Frontal Crash Worthiness." While a rhinoplasty may be called for to beautify the 2015 v to make it a finalist in the "Ugly Baby Contest," its proboscis and gills do little to add to, and protect the structural integrity of the cockpit cage area.
Copy and pasted directly from the IIHS website: 2015 Prius v Result: Overall evaluation G Structure and safety cage G Injury measures Head/neck G Chest G Hip/thigh G Lower leg/foot G Restraints and dummy kinematics G The Toyota Prius v was introduced in the 2012 model year. Beginning with 2015 models, the front structure, A-pillar, and door sill and hinge pillar were modified and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. Structure The driver space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of the lower interior of 9 cm at the parking brake pedal. Upper interior intrusion measured 3-5 cm at the instrument panel and upper hinge pillar. 2012 Prius v: Overall evaluation P Structure and safety cage P Injury measures Head/neck G Chest G Hip/thigh P Lower leg/foot P Restraints and dummy kinematics P Important: Frontal crash test ratings should be compared only among vehicles of similar weight. The Toyota Prius v wagon was introduced in the 2012 model year. It is derived from the Toyota Prius but is longer and taller to provide more rear seat room and cargo-carrying capacity. Structure The driver's space was seriously compromised by intruding structure. Lower intrusion measured as much as 35 cm at the lower hinge pillar, and the upper hinge pillar and instrument panel intruded 17-22 cm. The parking brake pedal was pushed in toward the driver 20 cm, and the steering wheel was pushed in 7 cm.
Yes, I'll also bet the new v passed the IIHS test because of the added "nose" but I also think, after seeing them at my dealer, that it adds weight and detracts from the car's lines. I'll hope not to have an "offset frontal crash" and relish my v's better esthetics.
