McPherson Strut or Double Wishbone ( conventional setup with front and lower arms)

they are as strong as they have been engineered- the double wishbone- or really upper and lower control arms, is an older design and I prefer it for sports cars- the strut makes assembly easier, repair easier, and is cheaper for the manufacturer- but they both will take a lot of punishment-

Excellent answer!

TheSubaruGuruBoston- so, would you think that KYB struts are a good replacement for the original ones on my 2009 Toyota Prius? Original equipment failed at 63,000 miles, and I'm a little surprised and disappointed that this happened. My 1995 Honda Accord EX with the four wheel double wishbone suspension went over 100,000 miles before I needed my struts replaced. My local mechanic says that the Subaru is definitely a much more robust suspension and durable vehicle.

Subaru's OE are either nice Tokicos or KYB; hence KYB aftermarkets always work well. Yes, their struts and springs are robust, if not wheel bearings and swaybar links and bushings. Ya pick yer poison....

Thanks, I was really surprised that the Prius struts went out at 63,000 miles. It looks like my Subaru at 73,000 miles has the better suspension. I suppose your comment about being robust was about the Subaru, correct??

Subaru are far worst car than Toyota I am surprised that the strut went out before Subaru. It all depends how the car is driven this include weather too!

Kaisersase,- don't know what you mean about Subaru being worse than Toyota? All I can tell you is my experience. And, the Subaru Outback has a double wishbone suspension in the rear which is pretty robust. My local mechanic told me that the PRIUS has consistently had the weakest suspension in the Toyota family and has done many replacements for clients. The whole fiasco with the struts going bad, and ruining my tires and replacing the struts cost me $1,500. That pretty much wiped out a lot of the fuel savings on my car last year. Both cars are driven in the same area and the Subaru has occasionally been taken off road, so, your assertion is ridiculous.

You're correct, Mark: a stupid remark, not unlike saying apples are better than oranges.

Thank you Ernie. By the way, off topic, I had a rearview mirror with a 4.3 inch screen installed along with backup parking sensors. Now, if I backup, I'll have a visual and audio system to reduce or eliminate the risk of hitting something. I highly recommend this for safety. Besides, when I get ready to sell my car in a few years, it will be more contemporaneous with newer vehicles and a sales point for buyers. The unit installed is made by Rhydeen Mobile Electronics, you might want to check these guys out,. Just sharing.-----MARK