MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Prius years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2010, 2012 and 2011 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Prius Full report
F
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.

Year Complaint volume 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 owners report

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

2010 F 2,224 reports · median 4,641 mi

  1. Brakes 1,508

    Please investigate the 2010 prius and its' braking system. While braking on a wet pavement, going down hill or braking when the car goes over an uneven or bumpy service, the car accelerates or lurches forward. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Speed Control 253

    On three occasions, while driving on clean, dry road surfaces, my 2010 prius suddenly and briefly accelerated without any warning after I drove over minor bumps and, one 1 occasion, a manhole cover, while braking. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 68

    We recently purchased prius 2010 v with technology option. After driving it for two weeks car design has caused a life-treating situation for driver and two passengers (one of them being a child) by stopping at the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

179 crash · 1 fire · 54 injuries

2012 F 190 reports · median 14,000 mi

  1. Lights & Visibility 37

    My 2012 prius v has a serious reflection in the point of veiw of the side view mirrors, when the front windows are rolled up, and the sun is high noon(+-5 hours) position. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Airbags & Restraints 29

    The latch system design on the seats on the new prius v is flawed. Instead of having four latch points, one set of two for the left seat and one set of two for the right seat, they have only three latch points, one in… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 26

    Sunday dec. 11th: pulling out of chicago garage, car makes odd rotational noise. The sound seems to go away after about a block or so of driving. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

56 crash · 34 injuries

The best year for the Prius

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

2021 is the best-scoring Prius model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 93.7 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 0.25× 24 A
2018 0.27× 40 A
2020 0.45× 39 A

Recalls

26 campaigns on record.

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
10V039000 SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2010 148,549
26V049000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:SWITCHES/KNOBS/BUTTONS 2023–2025 141,286
16V741000 PARKING BRAKE 2016, 2017 91,585
13V235000 SERVICE BRAKES 2010 87,060

+ 14 further campaigns

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 2010 were reported at a median of 4,641 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 years should you avoid?
2010, 2012, 2011 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Prius model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Prius?
2021 is the best-scoring Toyota Prius model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 93.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Prius have?
26 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Prius 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 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