Reliability & cost of ownership
Toyota Prius Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Toyota Prius? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Toyota Prius problems by model year
91 recall entries across 25 model years and 12,527 owner complaints across 27 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining 2 model years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Toyota Prius, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- exterior lighting3,505 complaints
- service brakes2,044 complaints
- electrical system1,596 complaints
- service brakes, hydraulic1,594 complaints
- vehicle speed control1,050 complaints
- service brakes, electric817 complaints
- unknown or other564 complaints
- engine480 complaints