MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Prius V years to avoid

Across 5 scored model years, the 2012 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Prius V Full report
F
Grade 2012–2017
2012 vs model median 2.6×
Model median3× median
Brakes 20
Speed Control 7
Electrical 6
Avoid

2012

Best

2015 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2012
2.60× 64 F
2013
1.44× 34 C
2014
1.00× 26 C
2015
0.51× 14 B
2017
0.53× 12 B

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2012 F 64 reports · median 13,941 mi

  1. Brakes 20

    Purchased prius v in march 2012, june 2012 took vehicle in for service and to have dealer look into noise coming from rear brakes. Dealer stated they could not hear the noise and saw nothing upon inspection. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Speed Control 7

    The contact owns a 2012 toyota prius v. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and decelerating, the vehicle erroneously accelerated after hitting a bump in the road. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 6

    My 2012 prius v had about 3000 miles on the speedometer when I began to notice that from a start, when I would put the lever into drive it would go into reverse. It is very intermittent. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 1 fire · 5 injuries

2013 C 34 reports · median 30,000 mi

  1. Brakes 8

    2013 prius v - brand new. Brakes make a grinding noise when cold. Three different toyota dealerships told me that it is normal for the brakes to grind when cold. Nothing they could do about it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 4

    While driving it seemed the car just stopped loud bang in rear and quickly moved again took to dealer and they cannot find anything wrong don't feel safe in care this is second time it has happened. Thank you owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 4

    2013 toyota prius v. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle electrical system failure. The consumer stated when his wife exited the vehicle, she noticed the headlights were not on. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 9 injuries

The best year for the Prius V

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2017 is the best-scoring Prius V model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2015 at 0.51× this model’s median, against 0.53× for 2017.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2017 0.53× 12 B
2015 0.51× 14 B
2014 1.00× 26 C

Recalls

6 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
18V684000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 2012–2014 807,329
20V369000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER 2014–2017 266,638
15V449000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER 2012–2014 108,624
15V013000 AIR BAGS 2014, 2015 4,971
13V014000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE 2012 3,235
13E070000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS 2012, 2013 409

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2012 were reported at a median of 13,941 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Prius V years should you avoid?
2012 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Prius V model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Prius V?
2017 is the best-scoring Toyota Prius V model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Prius V have?
6 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Prius V model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2012 Prius V
Complaints in window
64
Severity-weighted
118.5
Model median (weighted)
46
vs model median
2.60×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
1
Score 21.6 F