Toyota is used to putting its Prius up against competition from other auto manufacturers and coming out on top.  It is, afterall,  the best selling hybrid car in the United States and one of the most popular of all cars around the world.  But, when  the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested the Prius against 19 other small cars to determine how much damage it might sustain in low speed crashes - 3MPH and 6MPH - Prius come out ahead of only one other automobile  that was tested - the VW Rabbit.

Download the full Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report on low-speed small car crash tests by clicking this image.

To say the Toyota Prius took a pounding is an understatement.  Beaten in the IIHS crash tests by small cars from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, and Suzuki, Prius was an embarrassment, especially  considering the stellar safety  and crashworthiness record of which Toyota boasts.

IIHS tested the cars by crashing them into a fixed barrier a total of four times.  There were direct impacts to the front and rear of the cars performed at 6mph, then offset impacts to the front and rear corners of the cars at 3mph.   Damages sustained by the Prius in the four crashes totaled $9,070.  An estimate for repairing damage caused by the direct rear impact alone was $3,964, nearly one-half of the overall total.  IIHS believes impacts such as these - which are typical of minor parking lot bumps - should not cause damage to cars.

The Institute's senior vice president, Joe Nolan, was quoted in the IIHS report saying  "Small cars are supposed to be economical, but there's nothing economical about three or four thousand dollars in repairs after a low-speed collision."

Nolen continues, "Bumpers on most cars aren't worthy of the term. Even the best bumper in this group still allowed more than a thousand dollars damage in one 3 mph crash test. Some simple changes could prevent a lot of damage to cars, and expense and headaches for consumers."

As proof that damages could be minimalized with little effort, the research arm of Allstate Insurance, Tech-Cor, modified the Prius front bumper, extending the reach of the reinforcement and foam padding under the cover by ten inches on the passenger side.  The Prius was again propelled into the barrier, and the changes reduced the amount of damages by nearly $1,000.  This simple change brought down  the cost of an offset front corner impact to only $254 from $1,200.

Says Nolen in a previous IIHS report when four of ten luxury cars each sustained more than $10,000 in damages in four similar low-speed crash tests:

"It is not difficult to design better bumpers.   Bumpers need to be taller so they line up with vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks.  They also need to be wider to protect expensive components like headlamps and fenders.  And, they also need to be able to absorb the energy of a low-speed collision.  There's plenty of room under the bumper cover to make these changes without sacrificing style."

The Institute did not consider diminution in value to these cars as a result of the impacts they suffered when calculating crash damage, and we shouldn't be surprised since insurers often deny that diminished value exists until they are forced to pay it.  But, considering automobiles in real world accidents have damage histories that forever follow them, (not to mention the issue of lost warranties and certification eligibility owners encounter when selling or trading vehicles), diminished value is known to be real even when repairs are flawlessly performed.  For more information on diminished value, view the SafeCollisionRepairs.com diminished value slideshow.

content & design 2002-2008 David Williams and SafeCollisionRepairs.com

About Safe Collision Repairs

For more than ten years, David Williams of Wheelersburg, Ohio's Safe Collision Repairs has worked with consumers and attorneys in the tri-states of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia to expose unsafe auto repairs and maximize recovery on auto insurance claims. Some of the company's services include Post-Repair Inspections, Prepurchase Inspections, Auto Damage Assessments, Lemon Law Investigations, Expert Court Testimony and Diminished Value Calculations using an advanced version of Network Information Communication's WreckCheck program.

Inquiries can be directed to: Safe Collision Repairs David A. Williams Post Office Box 70 Wheelersburg, Ohio 45694 (740) 456-1111 (740) 355-4056

Disclaimer

The content expressed on this website and in the article above represents the opinions of David A. Williams. Williams is neither an attorney nor public insurance adjuster, but is an expert, consultant, and writer specializing in the field of automotive collision repair and valuations. The information provided herein is not intended to be a substitute for legal or insurance advice. Because collision repair is a continually evolving science, any text, materials or links found herein are provided without claim or guarantee to their accuracy or completeness.