Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
52–56 mpgcombined; city 54–58, highway 50–53; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$5,800–$6,250U.S. average; Ohio $5,180–$5,580 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Prius. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Prius. 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.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
6
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
Structure
4
1
1
0
Vehicle speed control
4
2
0
0
Air bags
3
1
0
1
Electrical system
3
0
1
0
Engine
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
1
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
2
0
0
0
Power train
2
0
0
0
7 more parts
Seats
2
1
0
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
1
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, air
1
1
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Wheels
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.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Prius over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Remedy: 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 damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 211 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Prius, the latest on Aug 20, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (104), electrical system (62), structure (27), engine (11), service brakes (9).
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
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 2018 Prius.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Prius Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
54 / 50 / 52
Prius Eco Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
58 / 53 / 56
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