Research · Midsize Cars

2025 Toyota PriusRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 16 owner complaints for the 2025 Toyota Prius. Most complaints involve electrical system (6) and forward collision avoidance (3). The EPA rates it 48–57 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
48–57mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Jan 2026
Owner complaints
16
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$1,150est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: switches

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.

Electrical systemReported Jan 28, 2026NHTSA 26V049000

Back over prevention: display function

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Oct 30, 2025NHTSA 25V744000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 4, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

16 complaints filed with NHTSA · Mar 2025 – Aug 2026
  1. Electrical system6
  2. Forward collision avoidance3
  3. Power train2
  4. Latches/locks/linkages2
  5. Service brakes2
  6. Tires1
  7. Structure1
  8. Wheels1
  9. Back over prevention1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Prius model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2001170
2002193
2003111
2004610
20051,051
20061,440
20072,004
20081,497
2009502
20102,823
2011523
2012688
2013414
2014241
2015166
2016181
201791
201838
201930
202014
20216
202224
202321
202427
202516
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 4, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Electrical system

6 reports
“The small battery located in the back of the car has a serious problem. I have been stranded over four times now. The battery loses it charge or isn't being fully charged up. When I go to get in the car. The interior lights flash and it will not go into ready mode to allow the vehicle to be driven. I have been stranded four times. I resorted to have a jumper pack in the back of the car, but since the rear deck is powered. This last time I couldn't get it to open to use it. I have already had the battery replaced by Toyota under warranty. But I believe that the hybrid system is not fully charging the small battery up. This could be a serious problem if Putin the county, state or in a bad neighborhood.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2026Electrical systemODI 11760656

Forward collision avoidance

3 reports1 crash
“Infotainment screen stuck on "Experience Drive Connect" screen which disables all the safety devices on the vehiucle. OEM needs to update the software to remove this screen. Screen is tied to Toyota subscription service. I believe all new Toyota products would have this vulnerability.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2025Forward collision avoidance, Back over preventionODI 11697030

Power train

2 reports
“I am submitting this complaint to report an unexpected transmission shift event that occurred while operating my 2025 Toyota Prius at highway speed which created an immediate and obvious safety risk. The event occurred on XXX. While driving my Prius at approximately 75mph on Interstate [XXX], I reached toward the center console area to retrieve my sunglasses. I did not intentionally move the shifter, but the transmission suddenly shifted from Drive to Neutral. After moving from Drive to Neutral, the accelerator no longer provided propulsion. At the time, my vehicle was traveling downhill and was being followed by an eighteen-wheel tractor trailer. The truck driver behind me had no way of knowing that my vehicle had unexpectedly lost the ability to accelerate. To avoid being struck from behind, I steered left into a paved median area, applied the brakes, and was able to shift back to Drive and merge into the traffic flow. Had a paved escape area not been available, it seems inevitable that our chances of being in a fatal collision with the vehicle behind us would be quite high. My concern is that a normal driver movement (reaching for an item near the center…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2026Power trainODI 11742143
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · 2.0L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
EV range
600 mi (EPA)

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 4, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Prius
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
575657$1,150155
Prius AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
535454$1,200163
Prius PHEV SE
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
535152$1,25050
Prius XLE/LTD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
525252$1,250169
Prius AWD XLE/LTD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
495049$1,300179
Prius PHEV
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
504748$1,35060
  • Prius
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    57 city · 56 hwy · $1,150/yr
    57
    mpg comb.
  • Prius AWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    53 city · 54 hwy · $1,200/yr
    54
    mpg comb.
  • Prius PHEV SE
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    53 city · 51 hwy · $1,250/yr
    52
    mpg comb.
  • Prius XLE/LTD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    52 city · 52 hwy · $1,250/yr
    52
    mpg comb.
  • Prius AWD XLE/LTD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    49 city · 50 hwy · $1,300/yr
    49
    mpg comb.
  • Prius PHEV
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    50 city · 47 hwy · $1,350/yr
    48
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 4, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Toyota PRIUS 5 HB AWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
10.2%
Overall
5 / 5
Toyota PRIUS 5 HB FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
10.2%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 4, 2026Vehicle 20258Vehicle 20257
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2025 Prius questions

How many recalls does the 2025 Toyota Prius have?

2 safety recalls as of Nov 4, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2025 Toyota Prius problems?

Owners filed 16 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (6), forward collision avoidance (3), power train (2). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2025 Toyota Prius get?

The EPA rates the 2025 Toyota Prius at 48–57 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

How safe is the 2025 Toyota Prius?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2025 Toyota Prius 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 4, 2026