How safe is the Toyota Prius?

Drivers of the 2017–2020 Toyota Prius died at a rate of 45 per million registered vehicle years, 17% higher than the average of 38 for all vehicles. That makes it riskier than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 86th of 127 vehicles, safer than 33% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.

This is the most recent IIHS data for this model, covering 2017–2020 models. It doesn't appear in the newer 2023 study, often because it was redesigned or discontinued.

33Safety score (out of 100)

86thof 127 vehicles, all classes

45Driver deaths per million vehicle years (range 23–67)

Where the Toyota Prius sits among all 127 vehicles

Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 38

The rate is based on a moderate amount of data, so treat small differences from nearby vehicles with caution.

Vehicles ranked near the Toyota Prius

These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.

Rank	Vehicle	Type	Deaths*	Score
83	Buick EnvisionLuxury SUV · Midsize	Luxury SUV	41	35
84	Kia Niro hybridWagon / minivan · Mini	Wagon / minivan	43	34
85	Toyota RAV4SUV · Small	SUV	43	33
86	Toyota PriusCar · Small	Car	45	33
87	Subaru Impreza sedanCar · Small	Car	46	32
88	Honda AccordCar · Midsize	Car	46	30
89	Hyundai TucsonSUV · Small	SUV	47	30

How it compares with other cars

Among the 30 cars ranked, the Toyota Prius is 6th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.

Cars rank	Vehicle	Type	Deaths*	Score
1	Chevrolet BoltCar · Small	Car	8	83
2	Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize	Car	19	68
3	Toyota Prius PrimeCar · Small	Car	23	60
4	Ford Fusion hybridCar · Midsize	Car	25	53
5	Subaru WRXCar · Small	Car	38	40
6	Toyota PriusCar · Small	Car	45	33

Common questions

Is the Toyota Prius a safe vehicle?

By real-world driver deaths, the Toyota Prius is riskier than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 45 per million registered vehicle years is 17% higher than the average, and it ranks 86th of 127 vehicles across all classes.

How does the Toyota Prius compare with other cars?

It ranks 6th of 30 cars. The safest is the Chevrolet Bolt, with a rate of 8.

Why is this different from the Toyota Prius's crash-test rating?

Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.

* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.