Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 467 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Prius v, and it carries 3 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 | 183 | 39% |
| Unknown or other | 29 | 6% |
| Engine | 18 | 4% |
| Exterior lighting | 17 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 17 | 4% |
| Air bags | 16 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 10 | 2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 2% |
| Power train | 8 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 7 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My Prius had brake warning lights come on around December 2025. Turns out the brake accumulator had an internal leak. After doing some research, I discovered this was a known brake booster issue that Toyota has not issue
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Suddenly Cars Brakes failed with vehicle almost lunged forward. I had to slam the brakes heavily for it to stop; Took the vehicle to Toyota Service and clearly its a QUALITY issue toyota acknowledged as a know problem wi
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The harness webbing/strap on the Evenflo Revolve360 Slim tore without any known incident or accident causing the damage. The defect was discovered on April 15, 2026 when the seat was temporarily removed from the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint: Chest clip
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space at approximately 15 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal felt spongy, but the vehicle responded as inten
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear driver’s side tire became flat. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the rear axle had fractured due to rusting and corrosi
NHTSA complaint: Power train
When I'm in the car, the brake booster keeps recharging with out touching the brake pedal. Also, the car has problems when I apply the brakes while driving. They make a hissing and popping noise and the braking is spongy
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Upon a hard (but not emergency) brake, my ABS and brake warning lights came on and my car began whirring once every few seconds. I immediately took the car to the Toyota dealership, who informed me that my master brake c
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The brake actuator and compressor is having repeated problems and causing the brakes to lock up completely while driving both in city and ON THE HIGHWAY. Abs/parking/normal brakes The lights on the dash all start flashi
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 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
| Reliability raw | 69 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 79 | good |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 64 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 467 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 183 of them (39%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 69/100 (good) 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 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 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 74/100. 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.