Installing Aftermarket Safety Features

You would probably save the most and get the highest quality installation out of a mobile autosound/security installer. Dealers won't be very interested in a project like this, and they tend to have higher hourly rates too.

Blind spot monitoring is likely to be the cheapest of these features to add via aftermarket kit.

I know there are some aftermarket kits that can provide forward collision and lane departure warning, and they are generic enough that they should work on your car. Safe Drive Systems has one for about $2k though I'm not sure it is still a current offering.

I have not seen an aftermarket kit that offers adaptive cruise suitable for a Prius c, but it could be out there.

All of these aftermarket systems are going to be much less expensive than attempting to transplant Toyota's own equipment from other Toyotas.

Good luck!

 

at eleven years and 80k, i would invest in a new(er) car if i could afford it

 

Forward collision warning and lane departure warning are exactly that- they beep to tell you to do something. Neither feature ever included automotic corrective measures. I'm not sure why that would be a reason against installing it, but it certainly helps to understand exactly what they are.

Automatic emergency braking is the proper name of the feature that hits the brakes for you, lane keeping assistance is likewise the name of the feature that nudges the steering to correct drift. Much like the people you phoned today, I am not aware of an aftermarket system to provide either those specific features.

Our 2018 c model includes the TSS-C suite, which incorporates FCW, AEB & LDW. It will beep and show a video message that says "BRAKE!" and (in theory, never personally tested it) it will punch the brakes if I fail to.

It will beep at us if it thinks we are drifting out of the travel lane. It never steers on its own. The car has a traditional cruise control, no adaptive capability.

To the best of my knowledge this suite is the most advanced one ever offered on US-spec Prius c cars. The second-generation models probably have the newer TSS system with all the goodies, but Toyota has yet to offer those cars in the USA.

I'm a big fan of adaptive cruise- our other car has it, and it's a real game changer for long-distance driving.

To bisco's point above? 11 years is not a bad time to consider trading up. You clearly want some newer features, and a dealer can (theoretically) resell an 11 year old car for good money therefore they can offer you a competitive trade. That all falls apart on the car's 15th birthday because the banks won't do traditional used auto loans on >15yo cars. In addition, the hybrid battery is going to be near its finish line- Toyota built those (in the c model) to last "about 10 years."

 

If something happened to our c tomorrow, we would almost certainly replace it with a Toyota Corolla hatchback:



They are not offered with hybrid powerplants in the USA, but that's okay for us- hybrid was always just the icing on the cake when we went searching for a high quality subcompact hatchback. Even as a plain gas-burner, the Corolla has wonderful fuel efficiency.

There is also the new Corolla Cross, a little mini crossover:



Those are available with hybrid powertrains in the USA. I've rented the plain gas version and I thought it was reasonable, despite the dimensions.

I think the Honda Civic Hatchback is also a contender in this space, though I have not driven a recent example. Available in hybrid, worth a look I'd say.

Kia has the new K4 hatchback in the pipeline, due "late 2025." I'm curious to see what they've come up with.

Good luck!

 

I'm a big believer in "shape and size" as a primary determining factor for car selection.

If overall length is the key dimension for you, my next suggestion would be a Kia Soul which comes in at 165".

I didn't love the early generation of that car, but I think it has matured nicely over the years. Adaptive cruise is an option on the GT-Line trim (only). I've driven a few over the years and they are good for parking & maneuverability. Better than the c for driver vision.

The Hyundai Venue is even closer at 159 inches. I did not list this because it is not available with adaptive cruise. It seems to have every other modern feature, just not that one. I rent a lot of cars for work and have rented a Venue- the size and maneuverability was very much like our Prius c, but... that's it, I have no other positives to mention.

Hope that helps!

 

if you get a new car, research the safety features in a chat room like this, get opinions and take a long test drive under varied conditions to test out the safety features.
a lot of them are lacking.
i myself wouldn't recommend toyota safety 2.5, which came on our 2024 hycam, and is not upgradeable.
but some say 3.0 is much better.
i would still want to test it before buying.

 

I can't think of a shorter (length) car that is going to include adaptive cruise for anywhere near that pricetag.

I mean the MINI is smaller, maybe 156" and it'll have lovely features but they aren't cheap at all.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV (not EUV) is 163" but I think you're stuck looking for a leftover 2023 model, it's electric whether that helps you or not and has an EV pricetag.
The new Volvo EX30 is another electric likely to have that feature, in about that size. Again, way bigger bucks for it.

I'll be curious to hear what you come up with.