Toyota Prius v: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Toyota Prius v: 6 model years scored from 1,348 NHTSA owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns. Worst year 2012, best year 2017.
Toyota Prius v: which years to avoid
Across 4 scored model years the Toyota Prius v ranges from 60/100 in 2012 to 92/100 in 2017 — a 32-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Service Brakes (311 of them).
Safest years: 2013, 2016, 2017 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2012.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Prius, Prius c and Prius v: the years to avoid — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
How the Prius v changed, run by run
The federal record falls into 2 stretches of years that behave alike. A redesign shows up here as a step in the complaint rate that then holds.
2012–2013
Mean score 66/100, about 40 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Service Brakes more than anything else (557 complaints). 1 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2016–2017
Mean score 92/100, about 14 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Visibility/Wiper more than anything else (59 complaints). The record improves by 26 points against the years before it.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2017 (score 92). Worst: 2012 (score 60, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 92 | BUY | $3,362 | 101 | 1 |
| 2016 | 91 | BUY | $3,605 | 166 | 1 |
| 2015 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,430 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,570 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 71 | BUY | $4,542 | 467 | 3 |
| 2012 | 60 | CAUTION | $4,783 | 614 | 4 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Prius v, through the years →
Prius v sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Toyota Prius v
Across every Prius v model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Service Brakes591 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Electrical System158 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Engine146 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other142 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Visibility/Wiper59 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement$490–$1,200
- Vehicle Speed Control57 complaints across all Prius v years · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement$520–$1,150
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Toyota Prius v years to buy?
2013, 2016, 2017 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2017 at 92/100, on 101 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Toyota Prius v years should I avoid?
The 2012 is the weakest year we score, at 60/100 (CAUTION), on 614 complaints and 4 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Toyota Prius v problem?
591 of the complaints filed against the Prius v across all its model years sit in the Service Brakes group — more than any other component.
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04