Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 613 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius v, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 234 | 38% |
| Engine | 40 | 7% |
| Exterior lighting | 31 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 25 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 23 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 22 | 4% |
| Air bags | 16 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 14 | 2% |
| Steering | 12 | 2% |
| Power train | 11 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
2012 Toyota Prius v with 89,662 miles. Multiple brake warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stored diagnostic trouble code C1391, “Abnormal Leak in Accumulator.” The brake booster/accumulator pump is also cycling a
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Brake actuator assembly failure on a vehicle with 99,818 miles. Whirring sound when braking followed by lighting of several brake alert lights on dash including PCS and ABS and others. The whirring noise has occured for
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Driving down the highway, the engine suddenly threw a rod, causing a terrible jolt, after which the engine burst into flames. There had been no warning lights.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The ABS system has failed. All brake related warning lights have appeared on the dash board and the ABS no longer works. The car will brake for now, but the pedal is mushy. The issue was diagnosed by a dealer. The diagno
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
ABS, brake, and traction control lights, all illuminated at once on the dashboard. Inspection found DTC C1391 indicating the accumulator is leaking or failing to hold pressure correctly. We are advised that the braking s
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake master cylinder was constantly cycling. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to th
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The power assist braking system failed while I was driving in the rain. I was approaching a stoplight and I had to push down a lot harder and farther than I typically have to in order to stop. Luckily I was not going tha
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I bought this car over a week ago for a good price, performed fine until I’m driving it home on the interstate and some abs/brake lights came on the dash. I enter my city and notice the brakes aren’t performing as tight
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Toyota Prius v. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Risk: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only dr
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a c
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30,
Genera Corporation (Genera) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement tail lights, model 11-6468-00 (driver-side), and model 11-6467-00 (passenger-side), sold for use on 2012-2013 Toyota Prius V vehicles. The brake light and tail light circuits are switched causing the brake lights to be illumin
Risk: The reversed tail lamp function reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Genera will notify owners and provide replacement aftermarket tail lamps, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2014. Owners may contact Genera at 1-888-963-9888. This recall is being con
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model y
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This co
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contac
| Reliability raw | 62 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 79 | good |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 64 | average |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 613 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 234 of them (38%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 62/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.