In a car, power sources like electricity and natural gas seem threatening. Once you look into it, you’ll find these alternatives are not necessarily more dangerous. But they do raise different concerns than do gasoline engines.
Crash tests
More than safety features, crash tests are the best way to gauge how well a particular model might protect you and your family in a collision. Thankfully, hybrids are well-represented in these tests.
Our preferred crash-testing agency, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, has tested all three of the dedicated conventional hybrid models: the Honda CR-Z, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. All pass the tests in their vehicle classes, as does the Chevrolet Volt, which combines full electric operation with gas-powered backup in what is inarguably a hybrid of sorts. The agency says the market’s remaining conventional hybrids, which are versions of gas-only models, are covered by the same tests.