Have a look at this movie, showing a head on between the Prius and a Toyota SUV. Please comment if you believe you would get out after the accident - in one piece or not... http://www.toyota.nl/media/global/movies/m.../prius_2_hi.wmv
Not sure if I understand your question here.. In my opinion the Prius actually does well in this impact - despite taking on a contender of quite another size and weight. As you probably know, the Prius has done very well in different crash tests, it did earn a 5 star ratin in EURO NCAP for example.
I saw the video, and took it to mean how well the Prius holds up in a crash. We should feel safer driving our Prius cars after watching the crash test. Interesting how North American producers are so reluctant to show crash test results.
I totally aree! This car is indeed very safe - even measured against larger cars like SUVs. Here is another video showing frontal- and sidewise impacts during the EURO NCAP testing of the Prius: http://www.toyota.nl/media/global/movies/m.../prius_1_hi.wmv
I thought the Prius held up quite well, but that doesn't look like a full size SUV. Two doors and it looks to have about the same wheel base as the Prius. Judging by the front rear view mirror on the fender, it is not an American model. If that test was done with a full size SUV a bit higher off the ground and quite a bit heavier the SUV probably would intrude much more into the front passengers. Not good.
I am very proud to own a car that is as small and light as it is. It showed that against an SUV that probably is almost double its own weight that the passenger compartment remained intact and if you look closely the windshield doesn't even break. I suspect that you would be quite sore but very much alive after a crash at that speed. I can't say I feel the same sense of safety in a small Ford or GM product.
Looks like that video is from overseas since the driver is on the wrong - er - right side of the car. So that impact represented an offset collision as though one of the vehicles crossed the center line. I wanted to verify that, since it was clearly an offset collision. I agree that the Prius held up very well. Face it, head-on collisions are bad all over especially with larger vehicles. Reproduce that collision with a Chevy Aveo and we'll see some carnage.
Glad to see I could walk away from an offset head-on with a heavier and taller vehicle. Good job, Toyota!
A full size Sequoia isn't even twice the weight of the Prius. That SUV in the video, if it is a Honda CR-V weighs, about 500 lbs more and has a shorter wheel base.
The SUV that the Prius crashed was a Euro version Land Cruiser. I am guessing that it is based on a truck platform. More info: http://www.toyota-europe.com/cars/new_cars...uiser/index.asp There is a 5 door version available although the one used in the crash was a three door model. This doesn't seem to be a small SUV IMO. ~MT77
You're right, that SUV weighs about 1000 lbs more than the Prius and about a 9" shorter wheel base than the Prius. Thanks for the info. A large SUV like the Sequoia is about another 1200 lbs heavier.
Note this "head-on" collision was offset such that the centreline of each car was lined up with the right wheel of the other car. The repeated views were all from the same side as the SUV, making it look like the SUV went through the Prius. I bet when viewed from the other side, it would look more like the Prius went through the SUV. I don't know if this was intentional, but it sure makes it look like the Prius got by far the worst of this collision, when I think in fact it came through remarkably well. I was in a similar (OK it was completely reversed ) collision with a Land Cruiser when I was rear-ended at about a 30 mph differential. Her left front hit my right rear. Certainly my Prius came off worse (not surprising since a Land Cruiser has almost 2000 pounds on a Prius and its front end is a lot more dense than the back half of a Prius) and ultimately my car was totalled. I have no idea what her damage was. More importantly though, had my kids been sitting in the back seat, they would have walked away shaken, but uninjured. The crush damage ended just behind the rear seat. Even though my drivers seat was bent back at a 60 degree angle, I walked away with no more ill effect than feeling crappy for a couple of days. So my fear about getting creamed by a SUV was somewhat laid to rest by own experience and this video reinforces it: The Prius is an exceptionally well engineered car.
I am trained in crash reconstruction and the important thing to note here, as others already alluded to, is that the passenger compartment maintained its integrity. That is the biggest factor in survivability. The "Delta V" or sudden stop of forward momentum along with sudden reversal would be traumatic for the passenger but airbags and seatbelts would do a lot. I would say this crash would be survivable by the avg human. Now, will they be hurt real bad, yes. This video actually makes me feel much better. Folks, I have seen people walk away from horrific crashes and die from apparently minor ones. You gotta go with the "odds". This car has great "odds".
Wow... That does seem pretty good, I must admit. But what I want to know is, what simulated impact speed was used? In the first video, I'm guessing maybe 30-35 at point of impact? and you can't even tell in the second... What I'm getting at is, most people don't really drive those speeds unless they're in relatively "urban" areas. I know I don't drive 30-35 often unless I'm stuck in traffic, or a heavy residential neighborhood. If I had to guess, I'd say my average, overall speed, is around 40-50mph, THAT would be real world to me... h34r:
Looks fine to me. A head-on with larger vehicle would suck though. And always make sure to turn so the passenger bares the brunt of it.
this past summer a truck hauling a large RV trailer crossed the medium on I-5 and flipped on its side sliding 60 mph down the freeway in the wrong direction. the first vehicle it hit was a Prius. the 3 passengers had minor injuries, none of which required hospitalization. the 2nd vehicle to hit was a Ford Taurus... in that vehicle all three passengers died including the kid in the backseat who died later at the hospital. if there was ever any doubt imm about the crash worthiness of the Prius that wasnt wiped away by the numerous awards it has won, that crash convinced me.
