In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Rav4 Prime XSE, and isn't offered on other Rav4 Prime models.
The Tucson Plug-In 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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid and the Rav4 Prime have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid is much safer than the Rav4 Prime:
|
Tucson Plug-In Hybrid |
Rav4 Prime |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh/hip Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Leg/foot Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Rear Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Chest Rating |
|
|
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Rav4 Prime:
|
Tucson Plug-In Hybrid |
Rav4 Prime |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Compression |
-45 lbs. |
67 lbs. |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
759 lbs. |
1093 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head Injury Criterion |
116 |
542 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
104 G’s |
Neck Tension |
45 lbs. |
312 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
-134 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Shoulder Force |
245 lbs. |
290 lbs. |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
8 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis Force |
669 lbs. |
692 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
The Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Rav4 Prime was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.