What is the most reliable year for the Prius? There’s many, but we review the popular Toyota hybrid’s various generations and narrow it down to one definitive year.
In the age of the electric vehicle, it is hard to ignore the hybrid pioneers that paved the way for the all-electric options of the future. One of the most famous hybrids has to be the Toyota Prius. A leading brand in reliability, Toyota released the Prius Hybrid in 1997 for limited markets.
Going worldwide in 2000, the Prius became the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. By 2013 the Prius reached over one million cumulative sales, in the United States alone, according to Car Sales Base.
It is easy to see that the Toyota Prius is extremely popular, but here we are going to break down why they are and give you the best option for used and new when shopping.
First-gen. Toyota Prius (2000-2003)
Initially, in 1997, the Toyota Prius was launched in Japan and a few other markets. Bringing it worldwide in 2000 was a massive move for Toyota. Focusing on the 2000 to 2003 model years, the Prius looks like a standard four-door economy car.
Hiding underneath the rather bland exterior is a hybrid drivetrain that would be unrivaled for many years. The Toyota Prius housed a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder that produced 70 horsepower and 82 lb.-ft. of torque.
Its engine package was coupled to a three-phase AC permanent synchronous electric motor which put out 44 horsepower and an astonishing 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
Weighing just over 2,800 pounds makes the Prius very lackluster in terms of performance. However, the mindset of a Prius is never the performance but the excellent fuel economy.
A first-generation Toyota Prius has an EPA estimated 52 mpg city and 45 mpg highway. At the time, this sort of gas mileage was unheard of in anything that could still carry five passengers with room for groceries in the back.
With the Prius becoming such an ideal hybrid vehicle, it soon landed in the Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle category.
For buyers, this meant a $2,000 federal tax deduction just for owning the vehicle. The Prius is pretty bare-bones regarding creature comforts—coming standard with A/C, one-touch power windows, and power door locks. Options consisted of cruise control, rear cargo net, and navigation system.
With production only lasting for three years, it is hard to find one of these first-generation models for sale today. Not only were the production years limited, but the total number of cars sold during this time only topped just over 65,000 for the U.S.
Searching for recalls for the first-generation Prius only shows two main issues. One is a faulty sensor that causes an oil leak, and the other being worn out electronic assisted steering components making it harder to turn. While these first few years are harder to come by, they will still pop up for sale.
Many enthusiasts will hunt for them, as they are the most basic versions available. The hunt means that when they pop up for sale, they usually sit around $5,000 with mileage varying from 100,000 to over 200,000.
Even with Toyota selling a record amount of their new hybrid, they saw the need to adapt to the market. In the works during the successful first-generation, 2003 saw the release of Toyota’s updated second-generation Prius.
Second-gen. Toyota Prius (2003-2009)
A successful run of the first-generation Prius meant that Toyota was already hard at work with the redesign. Starting production in 2003, the second-generation Toyota Prius debuted as a compact liftback.
Sized between the Corolla and Camry, the Prius was restructured for more legroom along with more luggage capacity. When you hear the name Toyota Prius, many think of this generation as it took off in popularity in the U.S. Selling over 500,000 models in the span of six years, the Prius is easy to recognize on the road.
What made the second generation so great were the many innovations Toyota brought to the chassis. As an industry first, the Prius used an all-electric A/C compressor. This meant less parasitic draw on the gas motor, compounding in less fuel consumption.
The Prius utilizes a shallow cycle battery operation, meaning it keeps a state of charge between 40 and 80 percent. Using this sort of power cycle allows the battery to go through thousands of charges and results in over 200,000 miles of use.
Toyota redesigned the Prius from a sedan to a liftback allowed for a more aerodynamic shape. With its more aerodynamic nature, the Prius decreased drag allowing for more fuel efficiency.
An actual decrease over the previous generation, the new Toyota Prius had an EPA-rated 48 mpg city and 45 mpg highway. Although disappointing for the hyper-mile enthusiasts, you have to consider the benefits the latest generation provides.
Being six inches longer overall, the Prius jumped from 11.8 cu. ft. of cargo space in the first generation to 16.1 cu. ft. in the second generation. Not only did you get more cargo room, but you also got a more excellent cabin with seven inch LCD, steering wheel controls, cruise control, and digital gauge cluster as standard.
Options for the second-generation Toyota Prius consisted of a JBL sound system, HID headlamps, vehicle skid control, and driver/passenger side-mounted airbags. Other safety features included a security alarm and front/rear curtain airbags. These added safety features over the previous generation resulted in a four-star overall crash test rating by NHTSA. Looking up recall information will yield a few concerning issues.
Of all recalls issued for the second-generation Prius, there are only a few limited cases of grave concern and a handful of nit-picky electrical problems. Impressively, the second-generation Toyota Prius won many coveted awards starting with Motor Trend’s 2004 Car of the Year, making Car and Driver’s Ten Best List, and 2004 North American Car of the Year.
Although the second-generation Prius was a significant improvement over the first-generation, it isn’t as fought over by enthusiasts. This makes buying one on the used market a bit easier for regular customers as there are more available.
At the time of writing, you can find a 2007 Toyota Prius under 70,000 miles for around $8,000. This is a lot of car for the money, as many of these models can be seen to exceed 300,000 miles on the original drivetrain if adequately taken care of. As with any successful car model, it cannot last forever. Toyota kicked off 2010 with a new generation of Prius.
Third-gen. Toyota Prius (2010-2015)
Toyota brought on the third-generation Prius as an updated, face-lifted version of the previous generation. Keeping the overall body shape, the Prius improved its drag coefficient by shaping more of the bumpers, mirrors, headlights, taillights and utilizing a rear diffuser to help stabilize the car at higher speeds. The powertrain was largely carried over from the previous gen., with engine displacement increasing to 1.8-liters.
Another significant change, the Prius now carries the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) III. THS III improved the battery package by utilizing lithium-ion technology. These vast improvements over the previous generation faired well for Toyota as the third-gen. Prius has sold well over 1.5 million units worldwide.
Though the Prius was moving towards a more modern technology-packed vehicle, Toyota still found ways to decrease its impact on the environment outside of fuel mileage. Adding to the hybrid mindset, Toyota used a range of plant-derived ecological bioplastics throughout the vehicle.
Improving the safety of the Prius, Toyota now provided rear disc brakes, overhead airbags, and electronic braking assist. Safety ratings benefitted from these upgrades, as the previous-gen. scored a four star overall NHTSA, the third-gen. scored a five-star overall. Scoring an EPA fuel mileage of 51 mpg city and 48 mpg highway, the third-generation Toyota Prius was the most efficient car powered purely by liquid fuel in the US market that you could still purchase new.
Packages for the Toyota Prius were broken down into simple models. Offered packages were the Prius two, three, four, or five. Each package had an increasing number of options, with the Prius two being its most basic form.
Standard equipment incorporated 15-inch alloy wheels, stability control, and interior features like keyless entry/start. Premium package Prius V (Five) models were given four distinct packages.
The Navigation package consisted of a voice-activated touch-screen navigation system connected to an eight-speaker JBL sound system. Most interestingly available is the Solar Roof package which adds a power tilt/slide moonroof along with a solar-powered ventilation system keeping the vehicle cooler when parked under direct sunlight.
As for gadgetry, Toyota has you covered with the Advanced Technology package. This technology package gives the Prius a Heads-up display, Dynamic Rader Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, and Lane-Keep Assist.
A new standard feature for all Prius models included three driving modes. EV mode, for electric-only low-speed operation. Eco mode for optimized fuel efficiency. Power mode for optimized performance.
A button provides availability to swap between modes on the center console. Although EV mode can only be activated at low speeds, changing between Eco or Power can be done at any time.
Unlike the generations before it, the third-gen. Prius still sits over the $10,000 threshold even for a base model with 100,000 miles. This doesn’t make it a bad option, considering current models are over double that cost without much-added benefit.
After two consecutive years of sales decreasing for the Prius, Toyota decided to facelift the third-gen. for the 2012 model year. Exterior changes consisted of new headlights, taillights, and a distinct front bumper. Interior changes included a new 6.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, and the option for an upgraded infotainment system.
New models have a Vehicle Proximity Notification System activated under 15 mph, designed to alert the blind and other pedestrians of the vehicle’s presence when the Prius is in all-electric mode. The warning device was mandated by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. Needing to move on from this awkward era of older styling but adding technology, Toyota decided to release a completely fresh Prius model.
Toyota Prius Prime (2012-Present)
As time went on with their famous hybrid, Toyota realized the need to develop a plug-in version to compete with other manufacturers’ delving into hybrid technology. The first-generation Prius Prime was released in 2012 with a larger battery, charging port, and a few different styling cues.
Although based mainly around the conventional third-generation Prius, the Prius Prime focused more heavily on its all-electric mode. Giving a total range of 11 miles in all-electric mode, the Prime showed that Toyota could switch focus to their electric car development without worry. Selling over 75,000 Prius Primes’ in the first four years, the market wasn’t as large as Toyota had hoped.
Toyota released the second generation Prius Prime in 2016, this time having a completely redesigned style from its conventional Prius platform. Given a more angular, eye-shaped tail light that wraps around the hatch made it stand out.
An entirely new front fascia design also set itself apart from the regular Prius. Interior-wise, the Prius Prime was given smooth white plastic accents to provide a cleaner look.
The all-electric range was boosted to 25 miles, more than double the previous generation. Sales for the new generation Prime lacked for the new generation as the competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq provide more range for a lower price.
Fourth-gen. Toyota Prius (2016-Present)
Toyota’s goal with the newest generation of Prius is to provide a more fuel-efficient, compact car that is lighter weight and lower in cost. They achieved this by developing a new drivetrain with improvements in battery, electric motor, and gasoline engine technologies.
This is the first vehicle to utilize the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) modular platform, which provides a lower center of gravity and increased structural rigidity. TNGA’s design philosophy offers better handling, ride quality, and aerodynamics.
Improved aerodynamic capability contributes to the all-new exterior design. Distinctly different from the previous generations, the new Prius has an angular bodyline starting at the rear doors and wrapping around onto the hatch.
Continuing improvements in handling, the Prius now has double-wishbone rear suspension to replace the torsion beam from all previous models. Smaller size but higher density electric motors improve space, allowing for a roomier interior. New lithium-ion battery packs provide even more space but allow for Toyota to continue the 10% fuel economy improvement with each generation.
The 2016 model year Prius has an EPA rating of 65 mpg city and 60 mpg highway. A new Prius Eco rids of the spare tire, rear wiper, and trunk lid lining achieve 70 mpg city and 64 mpg highway. The Eco model surpassed the first-generation Honda Insight as the most efficient vehicle without plug-in capability.
Trim packages stay relatively similar to the previous generation, adding some extra name differences like “Touring” to the lineup. Available new Prius models are the L Eco, LE, and LE AWD-e. Toyota introduced the new Prius AWD in 2019 for the U.S. market.
The AWD-e model makes use of a secondary electric motor attached to the rear axle. Toyota also gave the AWD Prius the older style Nickel-metal hybrid battery as it fairs better in colder climates, where the AWD model would be favored. For the 2021 model year, Toyota introduced a special edition “2020 Prius,” which was given black badging, wheels, trim, and carpet with embroidered “2020 Prius” logos.
Over the years, Toyota has made the Prius very affordable for its base models so anyone can hop on the hybrid wave. A 2021 Toyota Prius base model can be purchased for just $24,525, which is phenomenal for a brand new car.
Comparatively, the 2021 Honda Insight is slightly cheaper, but the Toyota Prius holds 15 plus more years of innovation over the competitors for the few hundred dollar difference.
Toyota has made it clear that the Prius is here to stay as the world’s favorite hybrid vehicle. With more than 10 million units of the Prius sold worldwide as of 2017, it has established itself and Toyota as a leader in hybrid innovation.
What’s next for the Prius as a non-plug-in hybrid is pretty alarming as the world shifts towards fully electric vehicles. You can feel safe knowing the Prius will outlast a strictly gas-powered vehicle, however, so you’ll know when the end is near.
Which Toyota Prius is the Best for Me?
There is an incredible range of different Prius models to choose from. Spanning 20 years of production, with four to five models and other packages, it can be challenging to find which one will be best for you.
We decided that the best used option has to be a 2013 Toyota Prius V. We chose this model because of its incredible technology package and the fact you get new hybrid tech like THS III without having to break the bank for a brand-new model.
As mentioned before, these models overall sit just above $10,000, but we’ve looked around and found a few examples under 100,000 miles for $9,000.
If you genuinely want a brand-new version of the Toyota Prius, we suggest a Prius XLE, so you get some of the lovely new tech but aren’t overspending for features you’ll never use. The Prius XLE can be had for $28,575, keeping it just under $30,000 territory and leaves you room for some extra options.
Photos: Toyota
