Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 11% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 11% |
| Air bags | 3 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 6% |
| Seats | 2 | 6% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while having a routine oil change, the contact was made aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. No warning lights were illuminated. The cont
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine constantly overheated. An unidentified warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. An independent me
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
Both taillamps holding moisture. Could cause electrical issues or fire. .. same year and model car have same reported issues and were fixed by manufacturer. This vehicle is the same but different level.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Driver door lock actuator not working. This seems to be a common problem for Toyota over the last decade, but they yet to put more vehicles to their recall list. Actuator just stopped working. I have to use key out of FO
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated the trunk opened at a slow speed and failed to remain open. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Latches/locks/linkages
Was driving around 35 mph and my right side mirror blew up. The back blew off and the mirror was shattered and hanging. Nothing hit it. Contacted Toyota and the parts have been on a stop, but there is no recall. It has b
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed heat ex
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver crashed into the front pass
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 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 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future d
| Reliability raw | 83 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 81 | excellent |
| Performance | 40 | below average |
| Efficiency | 71 | good |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and exterior lighting is the most reported area with 4 of them (11%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 83/100 (excellent) 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 84/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 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 79/100. 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.