Toyota Prius

3,451 complaints across 12 scored model years and 26 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Toyota Prius Full report

Grade 2010–2021

2010 vs model median 14.2×

Model median3× median

Brakes 1,508

Speed Control 253

Electrical 68

Avoid

2010 · 2012

Best

2018 · 2021

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.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Toyota Prius
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2010	14.21×	2,224	F
2011	1.35×	158	D
2012	1.92×	190	F
2013	1.31×	134	C
2014	1.08×	106	C
2015	0.92×	74	B
2016	0.87×	151	C
2017	1.19×	129	C
2018	0.27×	40	A
2019	0.32×	37	B
2020	0.45×	39	A
2021	0.25×	24	A
2022 P	0.41×	42	A
2023 P	0.18×	30	A
2024 P	0.40×	45	B
2025 P	0.22×	28	A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	54
City / Highway	53 / 54
Engine	2L, 4 cyl
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$1,150

Recalls

26 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
25V744000	BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION	2023–2025	1,024,407
18V684000	HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM	2010–2014	807,329
14V053000	HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER	2010–2014	698,457
16V487000	AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW	2010–2012	482,002
10V035000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS	2010	271,417
20V369000	HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER	2013–2015	266,638
18V579000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING	2016–2018	192,347
10V036000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS	2010	153,418

+ 18 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Acura ILX	20142016	C
Audi A3	20152017	C
BMW 1 Series	none flagged	C
BMW I3	none flagged	C
Buick Verano	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Bolt EV	2017	C
Chevrolet Cobalt	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Cruze	20112012	C

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 2010 Prius

Complaints in window: 2,224
Severity-weighted: 2,878
Model median (weighted): 203
vs model median: 14.21×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 10
Open investigations: 1

Score 6.7 F