2021 Toyota Prius Prime
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 54 mpgcombined; city 55, highway 53; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 133 MPGe on electricity
- Five years of fuel
- $6,250EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state; every version of this model year; fuel only, 15,000 miles a year
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 10filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Prius Prime. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Power train | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Back over prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Prius Prime year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2021 Prius Prime. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 122 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Prius Prime, the latest on Jan 30, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (39), equipment (36), structure (31), unknown or other (7), engine (6).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
| Investigation | Part | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes | Electrical system | Jan 27, 2023 | Closed Aug 7, 2023 Petition withdrawn NHTSA's record and documents |
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Prius Prime.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius Prime Front-Wheel Drive | 1.8 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline or Electricity 25 miles on electricity, 640 miles in all | 55 / 53 / 54 on gasoline 133 MPGe on electricity |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data