The so-called "safety" problems are media hype and new owner misunderstanding. The Prius is one of the safest cars you can purchase and here's why:
1. If you put additional floor mats on top of the originals in any car there is a possibility of them jamming in the accelerator or brake pedal. This has been happening since there have been floor mats. Although Toyota did a recall to reduce the likelihood of this happening, common sense is more important for this kind of problem.
2. Many of the so called runaways turned out to be hoaxes or driver error. So far none has been attributed to a fault in the vehicle. (I have a suspicion that falling asleep with the cruise control on accounts for a good percentage).
3. Every car manufacturer has recalls now and again. This includes Toyota.
4. Some of the reporting mixed Toyota Hybrids up with other models of Toyotas (the Prius apparently being more newsworthy than Corollas or Camrys). In other Toyotas there were two problems:
A. No brake override. In the Prius if you step on both the accelerator and the brakes, the accelerator is overridden. This doesn't happen in non-hybrid Toyotas.
B. Some Toyotas, GMs, and Fords made in the US used an accelerator pedal manufactured by CTS which could stick fully open after being in service for some time. No Prius has ever used this pedal so there is no problem.
5. The Prius has advanced safety features such as vehicle stability control (VSC). VCS is a system that prevents doughnuts in slippery conditions if you are going anything like a reasonable speed for the conditions. Another feature is brake-assist. This is a kind of panic mode which applies additional force to the brakes when the system senses you are braking in an emergency situation. Systems like this are generally available only in much higher priced cars. In the 2010 there are optional safety features such as pre-collision radar and lane sensing.
6 The brake recall was for the 2010 model. However, it's really just a feeling. The complaints all came from new drivers. Prius drivers that had a Prius previously didn't think there were any problems. Toyota did this more as a
PR measure than as a safety problem.
The way the Prius braking system works is that when a drive wheel spins, traction control takes over and stops regenerative braking. In some circumstances you can feel the transition. That feeling is what new Prius owners sometimes complain about. This feeling can be avoided entirely by not waiting until the last second to brake (always a good idea when you have a cargo area full of surfboards). It's similar to the complaints about power brakes when they first came out. People weren't used to the feeling and so a number of cars with power brakes were returned. (The media and lawyers were less rabid in those days, so you didn't see the brouhaha that you do today).
There are four braking systems on the Prius:
1. Regenerative brakes
2. Friction brakes
3. Engine brakes
4. Parking brakes
Generally braking is done with regenerative braking. The friction brakes are used:
A. When more braking force is required than the motors can provide.
B. When any of the safety devices (TC, ABS, VSC, etc.) are activated.
C. When the vehicle speed is under 7 mph.
D. When a fault is detected in the regenerative braking system.
E. When the battery has reached the maximum allowed SOC.
You have to really work at it to not be able to stop a Prius.
A technical look at the problem is here:
http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/storm.html
Note that the Prius scores 5 star or 4 star in the NHTSA tests. That makes it a very safe car in a crash.
should i get a prius?
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