Safety of the Prius

As mentioned already the Prius in Europe has a top 5 star rating and also was considered one of the top five safest cars in Europe for 2009 according to the same tests at EuroNcap. My previous car was a Saab 93 year 2008 also considered a top safety pick in the US and Europe. The distance between the rear bumper and the rear seats in the sedan Saab 93 is less than that of the Prius. This is very apparent when putting in the kids buggy. I think the aerodynamic shape of the Prius creates alot of optical illusions with reference to its actual size. Its only after owning a Prius and using it every day you realize how big and practical it is. Those of you in the US should really check out Euroncap.com reference the Prius and crash test videos. Compare them to the few US brands sold in Europe on the same site.

 

Take a look at some of the midsize SUVs that have a third row, like the Highlander Hybrid. Those are quite close to the rear hatch. Still, given the relative infrequency of serious rear-enders, I wouldn't be too concerned about passengers there as long as the head restraints fit properly. There's hardly enough legroom for anyone but kids who are short enough for the head restraints anyway.