Last updated: 2026-10-10

2021 Toyota Prius
RELIABILITY SCORE: 82/100 (EXCELLENT)

2021 Toyota Prius Reliability Report

The 2021 Toyota Prius has excellent reliability and no recalls, though a few owners report sudden low-speed surges while parking.

Recalls

0

Complaints

15

Complaint Rate

2.5per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$408

Annual Fuel Cost

$1,050–$1,200

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity74/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact100/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity79/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Buy

Excellent reliability with no recalls and about half the complaints of 2020 and 2022, but a few reports of low-speed surges while parking.

Top Issues to Watch

  • FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2)
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2)
  • POWER TRAIN (2)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Final Year

2021 is the last model year of the Fourth generation (XW50).

  • Final-year models are typically the most refined version of a generation.
  • 3 years after the last refresh (2018).
  • 4th generation Prius (US).

What this means for buyers

Final-year models are usually the most polished version of a generation, but resale value may dip as buyers anticipate the next redesign.

2016: Fourth generation (XW50) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

2018: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

2021: This Model Year

2021 is the last model year of the Fourth generation (XW50).

Should You Buy the 2021 Toyota Prius?

Reliability for this year is excellent, well above the average 2021 sedan and among the stronger of nine scored Prius years. Owners filed 15 complaints, and federal recall records list none. The 2020 and 2022 models rate worse, with about twice the complaints and recalls on file for each. Independent repair-cost data puts model-wide upkeep at $408 a year against $526 for the class.

The serious reports are about control, not wear. Two owners describe a sudden surge at very low speed while parking, with no pedal input. Both crashed, and two people were injured. One says the brake did not respond for about 10 seconds. Two other reports involve radar cruise control, which sped up toward a stopped car in one crash and drifted out of the lane in another. One Prius Prime rolled away after being put in park.

Reports are few, but ask the seller for dealer records on any cruise control or parking complaints. Test the cruise control before you buy. The reports give no mileage, so a lower-mileage car is not a safer bet.

Compared to the 2022 Toyota Prius, which scored 4 points lower. See also the 2020 Toyota Prius for an earlier comparison.

Pros

  • +Strong reliability score
  • +$118 cheaper to maintain than avg midsize cars
  • +Low major repair risk (11%)
  • +No recalls issued
  • +Below-average complaint rate for Sedan

Cons

  • −ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Unintended acceleration is the reported failure (2 complaints)
  • −5 crash incidents reported in owner complaints

Compare 2021 Toyota Prius With

Common Problem Categories

Other

HIGH RISK
  • FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2)
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

0

recalls on record

No recalls are on record for the 2021 Toyota Prius — uncommon, and a strong signal of manufacturing quality.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

2.5

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 16.7

LowAvgHigh
Low

Safety Incidents

5

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2021 Toyota Prius? Check its history first

Forward collision avoidance problems lead owner complaints about the 2021 Toyota Prius, and 0 recalls were issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

No VIN? Just hit “Check VIN” to look one up.

  • Accidents
  • Open Recalls
  • Title History
  • Odometer Rollback

2021 Toyota Prius NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 10.7%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Knee (Driver)Additional Air Bags (Seat Pan Airbag)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (TBD)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)

PHEV Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 10.7%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Knee (Driver)Additional Air Bags (Seat Pan Airbag)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (TBD)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)
View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Toyota PriusRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$408

vs $526 avg for midsize cars

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.5

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

11%

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Prius
$408
Category Avg
$526
All Vehicles
$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Toyota Prius Resale Value

The Toyota Prius is estimated to retain about 58.1% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Toyota Prius model overall and is not specific to the 2021 model year.

Value Retained
58.1%

after 5 years

Depreciation
41.9%

over the same period

Listings Analyzed
123

U.S. used-car listings

Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Toyota Prius depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Plug-in Hybrid

49–56 MPG

Running cost: $1,450–$1,600/yr

Fuel + repair

51–58 city / 47–53 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2021 EPA label cycle.

Plug-in Hybrid trims
TrimDriveTrans.CityHwyCombFuel Cost
Prius Prime 1.8L 4-cylFront-Wheel DriveAutomatic (variable gear ratios)555354$1,100

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2021 Toyota Prius.

  • Creep into a parking space at walking pace several times and walk away if the car surges or lurches.

  • Test the brakes hard at low speed in an empty lot and confirm they stop the car firmly.

  • Use radar cruise in light traffic and confirm it slows smoothly for stopped cars ahead.

  • Drive on the highway with lane keeping on and watch for drifting to the lane edge.

  • Run the car with the windows closed and check the cabin with a portable carbon monoxide detector.

  • Shift into park on a slight slope, remove the key, and confirm the car does not roll.

  • On a Prius Prime, start the car while it is plugged into a charger and confirm it powers up.

  • Look under the hood and underbody for chewed wiring, nesting material, or droppings.

2021 Toyota Prius Common Problems by Component

15 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

2
2
2
2
3
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2)ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2)POWER TRAIN (2)FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1)VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (1)WHEELS (1)BACK OVER PREVENTION (1)Other (3)

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

2 complaintsSafety-related

Radar cruise control can misjudge a stopped car ahead. One crash report says that after the lead car changed lanes, the system sped up instead of braking and hit a stopped vehicle at low speed. A separate complaint involves lane keeping in radar cruise mode. The car hugs the far edge of the lane or veers out of it on some drives, and only a full restart clears the fault. The dealer could not reproduce the problem. The reports give no mileage.

2 complaints total1 crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 complaintsSafety-related

Unintended acceleration is the reported failure. The car surges forward with no pedal input, usually at very low speed while pulling into a parking space. Drivers describe the surge as violent and over in a second or two, with no time to react. One report also says the brake did not respond, and control returned only after about 10 seconds. Both complaints involve crashes, with 2 people injured. The reports give no mileage.

2 complaints total2 crashes2 injuries

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaintsSafety-related

Sudden lurching while parking shows up here too. The car jumps forward into a wall as if the accelerator stuck, hard enough to deploy the front airbag. A second, unrelated complaint reports carbon monoxide leaking into the cabin at 7000 miles. The owner reports repeated poisoning, and the dealer could neither find the source nor measure CO levels in the car. One of the 2 complaints is crash-related. Both describe serious safety risks.

2 complaints total1 crash
POWER TRAIN (2 complaints)

POWER TRAIN

2 complaints

A parked car rolling away is the most serious report. On a Prius Prime, the car was shifted into park and the key removed, then the car rolled into a neighbor's driveway and grazed another vehicle. The same owner reports that the car would not start while connected to the charger. The dealer did not diagnose or repair it. A separate complaint describes rodents getting in and damaging components the owner says are left unprotected. The reports give no mileage pattern.

2 complaints total
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1 complaints)

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint
2023-10-31

When i am going down it's charging when the charge reaches 6 from 8 the engine starts working and stop changing at that point and the power continues comes from engine only without the hybrid battery and there are no codes

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (1 complaints)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint
2024-09-14

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 - 45 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The contact swerved around the vehicle in front and ended up on the opposite side of the roadway. The contact attempted to avoid oncoming traffic and swerving around all the other vehicles and ended up in a ravine. The contact's husband depressed the START/STOP button from the passenger’s side to turn off the vehicle, enabling the vehicle to come to a stop. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued to drive the vehicle to the dealer at slow speeds. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by the dealer. The failure mileage was 56,000.

WHEELS (1 complaints)

WHEELS

1 complaint
2021-03-23

WHILE DRIVING ON THE I 4 WE HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 200 MILES ON IT SO IT WAS BRAND NEW. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND OBJECT IN THE TIRE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSE THE PROBLEM THE ONLY CONCLUSION I COULD COME TO IS THAT THIS TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID I COULD HAVE RUN OVER A LARGE OBJECT OR A LARGE POTHOLE, WHICH I DOUBT.

BACK OVER PREVENTION (1 complaints)

BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 complaint
2025-07-15

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rearview camera intermittently went black. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rearview camera intermittently went black. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,696.

SERVICE BRAKES (1 complaints)

SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint
2024-06-17

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated while driving 45–50 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The driver continued to pump the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle accelerated, veered across the road, jumped the curb, and stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and an engineer determined that the brakes were working properly. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaintSafety-related
2022-11-03Crash reported

Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.

Best & Worst Toyota Prius Years

Best Toyota Prius Years to Buy

Top Pick
82
Excellent

2021

(Current Model)

0Recalls
15Complaints
79
Good

2020

1Recalls
30Complaints
78
Good

2022

2Recalls
29Complaints

Toyota Prius Years to Avoid

No Toyota Prius years are statistical outliers in our data.

Scores stay between 76 and 84 across 9 scored model years.

Toyota Prius Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Toyota Prius reliability scores by year
YearScoreRating
201878/100Good
201977/100Good
202079/100Good
202182/100Excellent
202278/100Good
202376/100Good
202477/100Good
202578/100Good
202684/100Excellent

Toyota Prius Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
YearScorevs Prior YearRatingRecallsComplaints
202684/100+6Excellent00
202578/100+1Good410
202477/100+1Good825
202376/100-2Good818
202278/100-4Good229
2021(selected)82/100+3Excellent015
202079/100+2Good130
201977/100-1Good536
201878/100—Good351

2021 Toyota Prius Reliability by Powertrain

The 2021 Toyota Prius is available with 2powertrain options. Here's how they compare on reliability.

Reliability comparison across powertrain options
PowertrainComplaintsRecallsIncidents*Crash Rating
Gas6015 out of 5
PHEV9045 out of 5
Total1505

NHTSA tracks complaints by vehicle configuration when that detail is available. Model-level reports that do not identify a specific powertrain are included in Total but not assigned to a row. A plus sign indicates a confirmed minimum; — means no complaints could be attributed to that specific powertrain. N/T = Not tested by NHTSA.

* Incidents = crash + fire reports. A single complaint can include multiple incident types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius reliable?
Yes. Its reliability standing is excellent, well above other 2021 sedans and among the stronger of nine scored Prius years. Owners filed 15 complaints, federal recall records list none, and the car earned 5 of 5 stars in federal crash tests. The main concerns are a few safety-related reports, not routine breakdowns.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Toyota Prius?
Complaints are spread thin across three areas. Two involve unintended acceleration at low speed, two involve radar cruise control misjudging a stopped car or drifting in the lane, and two involve the power train, including a parked Prius Prime rolling away and rodent damage. None give a mileage.
Does the 2021 Toyota Prius have unintended acceleration problems?
Two owners report it. The car surged forward with no pedal input, usually at very low speed while pulling into a parking space. Both reports involve crashes and two injuries. One owner says the brake did not respond and control returned after about 10 seconds. No mileage was given.
Does the 2021 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
No. Federal recall records list no recalls for this model year. By comparison, the 2020 Prius has one recall on file and the 2022 has two. Still, check the VIN with a dealer before buying, since a recall could be issued later.
Is the 2021 Toyota Prius better than the 2020 or 2022?
On this data, yes. Both neighboring years rate worse. The 2020 has 30 complaints and one recall, and the 2022 has 29 complaints and two recalls. The 2021 has 15 complaints and no recalls, so it looks like the stronger pick of the three.

Don’t buy a 2021 Toyota Prius without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2021 Toyota Prius

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2021 Toyota Prius does best on recall impact (100/100) and worst on complaint severity (74/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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