2020 Toyota Prius
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 46–56 mpgcombined; city 48–58, highway 43–53; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $5,800–$7,060U.S. average; Ohio $5,180–$6,310 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 overall safety rating
- 4 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 14filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Versions
NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2020 Prius, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 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.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Back over prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Power train | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2 more parts
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 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.
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2020 Prius. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 157 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Prius, the latest on Aug 20, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (68), electrical system (48), structure (30), engine (12), back over prevention (7).
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 2020 Prius.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Used ones for sale
See used 2020 Toyota Priuss for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
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:
| 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 Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 1.8 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 52 / 48 / 50 |
| Prius c Front-Wheel Drive | 1.5 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 48 / 43 / 46 |
| 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