Comparison

CHEVROLET 1500 vs TOYOTA PRIUS C

Side-by-side comparison of the CHEVROLET 1500 and TOYOTA PRIUS C drawn from the NHTSA consumer-complaint database, defect investigations, recall history, and NCAP crash-test ratings.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 2,000,000 consumer complaints have been filed against U.S. vehicles (2,054,142 as of August 2026). This is a head-to-head safety comparison between the CHEVROLET 1500 (1988–1996) and the TOYOTA PRIUS C (2012–2018), drawn from that federal complaint and recall record; see our methodology for how the figures are compiled.

The CHEVROLET 1500 (1988–1996, 8 model years) carries 278 NHTSA consumer complaints and 0 safety recalls, while the TOYOTA PRIUS C (2012–2018, 7 model years) carries 278 complaints and 4 recalls. Severity indicators for the pair split as follows: 25 vs 49 crashes, 3 vs 2 fires, and 1 vs 0 reported fatalities.

Raw complaint counts favor whichever nameplate has fewer vehicles on the road, so the cleaner lens is components: which specific part families concentrate each model's filings? For the CHEVROLET 1500, the leading complaint category is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (65 filings), followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer and seats. For the TOYOTA PRIUS C, it is service brakes (55), ahead of electrical system and unknown or other. When the two vehicles cluster around the same component, the problem is likely a shared supplier or a shared federal standard under stress; when they diverge, each nameplate has its own defect signature independent of the other.

Average NCAP crash-test scores are not uniformly available for both nameplates in this dataset, which typically means one or both pre-date the 2011 rating methodology refresh. Use the side-by-side table below as your scorecard, but do not treat it as a verdict. Recall counts tell you how many defects the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy; complaint counts tell you what owners are still flagging today; and safety ratings tell you how the vehicle performs in standardized barrier tests, three different lenses on the same underlying question. The "also compare" links at the bottom of this page let you triangulate against neighboring nameplates in each model's competitive set.

CHEVROLET 1500 vs TOYOTA PRIUS C - NHTSA complaint, recall, and safety rating comparison
CHEVROLET 1500 Metric TOYOTA PRIUS C
N/A Avg Safety Rating 4/5
278 Total Complaints 278
0 Total Recalls 4
25 Crashes Reported 49
3 Fires Reported 2
22 Injuries Reported 37
1 Deaths Reported 0
8 years Years on Market 7 years

Top Complaint Categories

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
65
0
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
42
0
SEATS
16
0
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
15
0
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
13
0
SERVICE BRAKES
0
55
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
0
47
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
0
35
CHEVROLET 1500 TOYOTA PRIUS C

Compare Another Pair

Search for any two vehicle models to compare their safety records side by side.

Go to Compare Tool →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is safer, CHEVROLET 1500 or TOYOTA PRIUS C?
CHEVROLET 1500 has 278 total NHTSA complaints with 25 crashes, while TOYOTA PRIUS C has 278 complaints with 49 crashes. Review individual model years for specific safety ratings.
How many recalls does CHEVROLET 1500 have compared to TOYOTA PRIUS C?
CHEVROLET 1500 has 0 recalls across 8 model years, while TOYOTA PRIUS C has 4 recalls across 7 model years.
What are the most common problems with CHEVROLET 1500?
The most commonly reported issues for CHEVROLET 1500 are: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR (65 complaints), VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER (42 complaints), SEATS (16 complaints), AIR BAGS:FRONTAL (15 complaints), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP (13 complaints).
What are the most common problems with TOYOTA PRIUS C?
The most commonly reported issues for TOYOTA PRIUS C are: SERVICE BRAKES (55 complaints), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (47 complaints), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (35 complaints), ENGINE (22 complaints), AIR BAGS (17 complaints).

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls data