Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 164 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota Prius, and it carries 1 recall. 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 | 67 | 41% |
| Unknown or other | 10 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 4% |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 4% |
| Power train | 6 | 4% |
| Structure | 5 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Problem: Brake Actuator is pulsing the Booster Pump to keep running intermittently, 5-10 seconds. Console lights lit up for ABS problem. Does not clear. Toyota Dealership Report: DCT C1391 Abnormal Leak: Monitored TE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
On XXX, I was driving my 2015 Toyota Prius with my family in the vehicle and approaching stopped traffic on dry pavement. An emergency vehicle was approaching from behind, so I began braking earlier than usual. When I ap
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Code DTC C1391 - Abnormal leak of accumulator pressure. Internal failure of the brake booster pump assembly, preventing the system from maintaining proper hydraulic pressure. This means the brakes don't work, putting t
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I was rear-ended by a truck in my prius and my seat laid back on impact. I'm unaware if that was an intended thing or not but it potentially could have injured my neck. My car is currently in a storage lot awaiting the a
NHTSA complaint: Seats
Pulling out of a parking stall, when put vehicle in drive, the engine revved up and accelerated - vehicle crashed, the brakes did not work- there was skid marks. Floor mats are factory OEM were installed properly. I did
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The vehicle experienced a failure in the braking system involving the brake booster/brake actuator assembly. The vehicle displayed diagnostic trouble code C1391, which is associated with a malfunction of the brake booste
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle driving approximately 35-45 MPH. The contact stated that upon impac
NHTSA complaint: Seats
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the brake warning lights illuminated. The brakes were inoperable and entered manual mode. The contact stated that the brake warning l
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2015 Toyota Prius. 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 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall wh
Risk: An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condi
| Reliability raw | 73 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 79 | good |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 69 | good |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 164 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 67 of them (41%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 73/100 (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 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2015 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 75/100. 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.