Trailer hitch on a 2012 Prius

Thanks to all in this forum I decided on the Curt hitch and went with the Swagman Chinook rack for 2 bikes and finally got to use it this weekend for a short 20 minute drive and had no issues at all, seemed solid and so much easier than throwing my bike in the back! Looking forward to many more trips with the bikes!

 

My 2009 got rear-ended hard enough to crush in the rear-right wheel well enough to impede the tire from rotating. Trunk compartment took a crumple, but I don't think it traveled anywhere further than that up the exterior of the car. The hitch was bent at a slight angle but otherwise intact. Overall I don't think having it there really changed things much as far as the frame goes. Trunk still took the brunt of it, and as soon as that kind of damage is being done to the car, it's a write-off. My thought is that that section of frame where the tow hook bolts are is the same section where the trunk crumple is, and it's only a lateral crossbar, then it can't really affect the crumple aside from adding some extra mass to take the hit.