The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has a standard driver’s knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelt or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Jetta doesn’t offer knee airbags.
The Corolla Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Jetta doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
The Corolla Hybrid’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Jetta.
The Corolla Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Jetta doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Corolla Hybrid and the Jetta have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hybrid is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta:
|
Corolla Hybrid |
Jetta |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
187 |
247 |
Neck Injury Risk |
27% |
31.7% |
Neck Stress |
243 lbs. |
354 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
50 lbs. |
58 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
27% |
41.6% |
Neck Compression |
86 lbs. |
141 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hybrid is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta:
|
Corolla Hybrid |
Jetta |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
92 |
101 |
Chest Movement |
.9 inches |
.9 inches |
Abdominal Force |
129 lbs. |
188 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
137 |
306 |
Spine Acceleration |
43 G’s |
56 G’s |
Hip Force |
367 lbs. |
554 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
13 inches |
HIC |
239 |
239 |
Spine Acceleration |
32 G’s |
38 G’s |
Hip Force |
623 lbs. |
627 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hybrid is 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Jetta.
For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 201 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta has not been fully tested, yet.