Is the Toyota Camry Hybrid Safer Than a Tesla Model 3?
The 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid takes the automaker’s popular midsize sedan and adds commendable hybrid fuel economy. Moreover, the Camry’s safety scores establish it as a family car in the segment. However, the 2023 Tesla Model 3 also promises top safety ratings without the need to hit the pumps. So, is the fully-electric Model 3 safer than a Camry Hybrid, or should safety sticklers opt for the familiar Toyota model?
How safe is the Toyota Camry Hybrid?
The 2023 Toyota Camry, including its hybrid trims, earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As a result, the Camry Hybrid has excellent safety scores.
To earn the IIHS’ top ratings, the Toyota model had to achieve a “Good” score in every crashworthiness category and perform well in crash avoidance and mitigation evaluations. However, while the Camry did earn the Top Safety Pick+ classification, it didn’t get a perfect scorecard. Specifically, the late model Camry Hybrid LE, SE, XLE, and XSE earned “Acceptable” ratings in headlight performance. Also, the Camry received a “Marginal” score for its performance in the seat belt reminders subcategory.
Does the Toyota Camry have standard safety features?
The 2023 Toyota Camry boasts many standard safety features for crash avoidance and mitigation:
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Rearview camera
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist
- Traffic-sign recognition
In addition to the standard safety equipment, the Camry Hybrid offers optional features like blind-spot monitoring, reverse automatic emergency braking, and rear-cross traffic alert. Furthermore, the Camry model’s equipment is about on par with competitors in the midsize sedan segment, like the 2023 Honda Accord.
Is the Tesla Model 3 safe in a crash?
The 2022 and 2023 Tesla Model 3 holds an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, and the NHTSA gave the 2022 model a five-star rating for its crashworthiness. In addition to its commendable performance in forward and side crash tests, the Model 3 boasts one of the strongest roofs in the current EV market.
Specifically, the IIHS says the Model 3 will resist up to 20,835 lbs of peak force to its roof for a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.85. That’s higher than a Toyota Camry Hybrid, which has a ratio of around 5.67. Moreover, the Model 3’s low center of gravity makes it inherently resistant to rollover accidents.
What standard safety features does the Tesla Model 3 have?
The Tesla Model 3 has a suite of standard safety features:
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Forward collision warning
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-change alert
- Park Assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Pedestrian detection
- Front, side, and rear parking sensors
Which green vehicle is safer?
The Toyota Camry Hybrid and Tesla Model 3 earned top ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS. However, the Model 3’s IIHS evaluation showed higher scores in some individual subcategories. Moreover, the Tesla EV’s roof strength and rollover resistance make it safer in the event of accidents that could result in a roll.
Still, the priciest Toyota Camry Hybrid trim, the Hybrid XSE, is still more affordable than the entry-level Tesla Model 3 RWD. In terms of value, the Camry Hybrid is a safe and sensible choice.
