2016 Toyota Prius Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus, Here's the Crash Test Footage

Yes, the "+" at the end of that title eludes enough vehicles that are more expensive than the fourth-generation Prius, but the eco aura of this Toyota simply wouldn't feel complete without maximum safety.

The aspect mentioned above mainly has a lot to do with the rigorous small overlap frontal crash test. However, the 2016 model has a "Good" rating (note this is the highest one available), having scored well in all areas, from the safety cell maintaining its structure to the side curtain airbags restraining dummy movement as intended.

This shows a clear advance compared to the previous Prius. While earning "Good" ratings in four of the five IIHS tests, the third-gen Prius only got an "Acceptable" rating in the small overlap frontal test.

The IIHS also mentioned the 2016 Prius' optional front crash prevention system received a "Superior" rating, being able to avoid accidents at 12 and 25 mph - the previous model had earned an "Advanced" rating in this area and while that was enough to make it a Top Safety Pick Plus, the "Acceptable" rating mentioned above kept the old Prius from getting the top accolade.

Toyota has brought significant improvements to Prius The Fourth. The Japanese automaker never rested on the eco image laurels that have determined many to buy the hybrid for image-related purposes in the past, but the company is even more motivated not to do so in the present, when Tesla's cars have stolen a part of that customer base.

As a result, the Prius now returns 54 mpg inside the city, 50 mpg on the highway and comes with a combined mpg rating of 52 mpg.

And let's not forget that Toyota has introduced the Prius Prime earlier this month, a model that mixes the plug-in hybrid powertrain with styling that's clearly less polarizing than that of the standard model.