Which Year Models of Used Toyota Prius to Avoid

Toyota Prius 2016 by Karlis Dambrans — CC-BY-2.0

The Toyota Prius is one of the most popular full hybrid electric cars for a reason. Ranked as one of the cleanest cars for the environment and most fuel-efficient, the Prius has proven its reliability over the past two decades.

The automobile was first introduced as a 4-door sedan, but since 2003, it has only been sold as a 5-door hatchback. With so many years of history, it only makes sense that specific year models are built better than others. Luckily, CoPilot is here to help you navigate the many year models of the Toyota Prius and find the best ride for you!

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Quick Answer: Avoid Toyota Prius Year Models 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016

Many Toyota Prius year models experience similar lights and engine problems. The 2007, 2008, and 2010 year models are the least reliable, with each having a plethora of reports of headlights malfunctioning or blowing out and over-consumption of oil. These you should avoid at all costs.

However, the 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2016 Toyota Prius year models aren’t much better either. These models suffer from similar problems as the previously mentioned ones, but they either aren’t as severe or haven’t been as widespread in the year model’s production. Either way, we recommend that you avoid these Toyota Prius cars.

Which Year Models of Toyota Prius are Safe to Buy Used? 

In production for over 20 years, the Toyota Prius has many different year models to choose from. If you get your hands on one of the better models, you can expect to enjoy incredible fuel efficiency, a long battery life cycle, and reliability for years to come. Many year models will satisfy these requirements reliably, but many won’t. These are the reliable Toyota Prius year models that we recommend.

• 2000 Toyota Prius
• 2001 Toyota Prius
• 2002 Toyota Prius
• 2003 Toyota Prius
• 2004 Toyota Prius
• 2013 Toyota Prius
• 2014 Toyota Prius
• 2015 Toyota Prius
• 2017 Toyota Prius
• 2018 Toyota Prius
• 2019 Toyota Prius
• 2020 Toyota Prius

Although they’re a bit older, you can’t go wrong with the 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 Toyota Priuses. These have had almost no complaints, practically unheard of for such a popular car. Furthermore, the complaints were minor and didn’t occur until over 100,000 miles on average. 

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THE MOST RELIABLE YEARS FOR THE TOYOTA PRIUS

Let’s examine the most reliable years for the Toyota Prius and other information necessary to find the highest quality vehicle.

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Toyota Priuses from the last few years, namely 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 are similarly safe to purchase with very few reported problems. However, in the 2017 and 2018 models, some issues have kicked in under 10,000 miles and cost an average of $2,000 to fix. We still highly recommend these year models because of their issues’ rarity and low severity.

The 2004 Prius has a couple of dozen complaints, but these are still few compared to other models and were relatively minor, generally consisting of small defects that occurred late in the car’s life. The 2013, 2014, and 2015 year models had similar complaints, but these were more problematic than the 2004s.

These problems might occur under 20,000 miles and cost $1,500 - $3,000 to repair. Again, it’s unlikely that you would experience these issues, but we recommend these models a bit less than the others due to their costs and early appearances.

Which Year Models of Toyota Prius to Avoid: 

While the Toyota Prius has plenty of trusty year models out there for you to take a look at, it has nearly as many unreliable models that you should avoid. Engine and lights problems are the main issue here across the board, and they can certainly hurt your driving experience and, in some cases, even endanger you. We do not recommend the following Toyota Prius year models.

• 2005 Toyota Prius
• 2006 Toyota Prius
• 2007 Toyota Prius
• 2008 Toyota Prius
• 2009 Toyota Prius
• 2010 Toyota Prius
• 2011 Toyota Prius
• 2012 Toyota Prius
• 2016 Toyota Prius

The 2007, 2008, and 2010 Toyota Priuses had the highest number of reported complaints by far. It’s been widely reported that these models have a history of headlights suddenly shutting off, burning out, or not working at all. These could present a safety hazard if this happened in the middle of a drive. Excessive oil consumption is another highly reported issue, which can be an annoyance that may cost around $1,500 to rectify. Even with these issues, it is worth noting that, on average, they did not appear until over 100,000 miles. 

The 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2011 Prius year models had the next highest number of complaints. Their nature is almost precisely the same as the 2007, 2008, and 2010 models’; they just occur less frequently. 

The 2012 and 2016 models have fewer complaints than the previously mentioned ones, but their problems are slightly different. Whereas the other year models tend to have issues pop up at high mileage, these two see many issues occurring at very low mileage, typically under 15,000 miles. A few defects were severe, including the car refusing to start or the windshield cracking. Overall, we recommend that you avoid all of these Toyota Prius year models.

Common Toyota Prius Problems

According to RepairPal, the Prius has a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 and a 10th ranking out of 24 midsize cars. Despite its above-average reliability, the Prius has a couple of common problems you should know:

• The windshield was prone to cracking - Frustrated owners of the 2016 Prius complained about their car’s windshield that’s prone to cracking. On top of that, the crack tends to spread quickly over a short time. Most affected owners had to get a windshield replacement.
• Rapid oil consumption - Common in the 2011 Prius, owners have reported that their cars would burn through their engine oil – as much as a quart per 1,000 miles. A common fix is to replace the timing cover gaskets.
• Faulty multi-function display - Models from 2001 to 2016 were affected by this issue. It’s either the display becomes unresponsive or stops working altogether. This issue is commonly caused by a poorly soldered internal connection within the display’s circuit board.
• Engine issues - According to several reports, a used Prius has experienced a wide array of engine-related problems such as stalling, hesitation, blown head gasket, overheating, and engine failure. If you’re looking to buy a 2010 Prius, this is one problem you should keep an eye on.
• Faulty headlights - Many Prius owners, particularly with the 2008 model, have complained about their car’s headlights. Apparently, the Prius’ headlights would just go out while driving, making it a severe safety hazard when night driving. You can turn the headlights off and on again, but this was merely a temporary fix. Unfortunately, replacing the headlights also didn’t fix the issue, while others had to resort to replacing the headlight assembly altogether.
• Interior issues - Prius owners also had to deal with interior accessory issues, but perhaps the most common was the faulty dashboard display. Several reports claimed that the dashboard lights would go out for no reason, leaving drivers unable to see their fuel gauge and speedometer. In some cases, the Prius won’t lock and the engine refuses to shut down.
• Acceleration issues - Owners of 2004-2009 Prius models were frustrated by their vehicle’s acceleration issues. According to reports, the sedan would randomly accelerate which can be dangerous if you’re in heavy traffic. Over time, Toyota issued a statement that the possible cause of random acceleration was related to stuck gas pedals and misplaced floor mats.

Toyota Prius problem counts by year

These are the most common problems reported by owners on platforms such as carproblems.com, carcomplaints.com, and Car Talk Community. They include headlights malfunctioning, excessive oil consumption, and dashboard displays cutting out. 

FAQs: Used Toyota Prius Years to Avoid

Q: What years of Prius should you stay away from?

A: Potential buyers should avoid the Toyota Prius models from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016. These models have been reported to have more issues, particularly with malfunctioning headlights and excessive oil consumption.

Q: What are the safest Prius years?

A: The safest years for the Toyota Prius, with fewer reported issues and higher reliability ratings, include the early models (2000-2004) and the more recent iterations from 2013 to 2020. These models are considered the best Toyota options for those looking for a used Toyota Prius.

Q: Is the Prius the most reliable hybrid vehicle?

A: The Toyota Prius is renowned for its reliability and is often considered one of the most dependable hybrid vehicles. However, like any vehicle, it has specific years that are less reliable than others. When choosing a new Prius or a used Toyota Prius, it’s crucial to be aware of which model years to avoid.

Q: How does the Prius compare to other hybrid vehicles regarding maintenance costs?

A: The Toyota Prius generally has lower maintenance costs compared to other hybrid vehicles, partly due to Toyota’s expertise in hybrid technology. However, specific years, especially those we recommended to avoid, may incur higher costs due to their known issues.

Q: Are there any advantages to buying a new Prius over a used one?

A: Buying a new Prius offers the latest technology, full warranty coverage, and the peace of mind of no prior wear and tear. However, a used Toyota Prius can provide excellent value, especially if you choose a well-maintained model from one of the best Toyota years.

The Easiest Way to Find a Reliable Toyota Prius In Your Area

Finding a reliable used Toyota Prius in your area has never been easier! Just download the free CoPilot car shopping app, tell us what electric hatchback you’re looking for and we’ll search every dealership in your area to craft a personalized list for great deals near you. Built using the same technology that car dealerships use to buy and sell their inventory, CoPilot is the smartest and easiest way to buy a used Toyota Prius.

If you’re more interested in a newer, off-lease ride, try CoPilot Compare, the search engine for nearly-new cars. Not only do we exclusively show you models that are 5 years or newer with low mileage (most with CPO availability), we’ll also break down how much you save buying used vs. new and show you the best nearly-new listings in your area.

The best part? CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no ‘promoted’ or ‘sponsored’ listings - just the best cars in your area. Learn more about how CoPilot works on our About Us page.