IIHS Crash Test
Good
MPG (up to)
53 City / 46 HWY
Horsepower
73
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Jackie H
It really is a money saver. I would recommend this car to anyone.
It is compact. I can park it anywhere. The gas mileage saves me hundred of dollars a year.
accountCircle Brent S
It gets great gas mileage.
It gets great gas mileage. I like driving it. It is very quiet.
accountCircle Pamela S
The great gas mileage. I get in the high 40's around town, and low 40's on the highway.
I like my Toyota Prius C very much, I love the gas mileage that I get. It is easy to drive, it is small and fits in most parking spaces. It is just a fun vehicle to drive.
accountCircle Ruth C
The best little car you will ever need!
I love my car! I have had no problems, the performance is fantastic. It is very reliable, comfortable. It had cruise control, ac, radio/ CD player, Bluetooth, and more room than it looks. The best part, I can get close to 50 miles/ gallon, even in the mountains!
accountCircle dave S
Great gas mileage, without sacrificing ride comfort.
Sips gas, gets up and goes, looks nice. Everything is in working order after much use, and the vehicle shows little wear and tear.
accountCircle Miriam J
My car is very great on gas.
Gas mileage is wonderful. Only 4 people fit comfortably and sometimes a fifth squeezes in but is not very comfortable. Sometimes it is hard to haul everything I want, but most of the time we can get all we need in by putting back seats down.
accountCircle Cynthia S
Efficient and reliable vehicle.
Great gas mileage; has more power and room than you would expect from such a vehicle; very reliable. We have had no problems with any engine issues. Interior is more than passable. Not fancy but a true workhorse. Handles well in all weather conditions.
accountCircle Cole B
2012 Toyota Prius c: the ultimate ride.
I love my 2012 Toyota Prius c. It is a reliable car. It is great in gas mileage. I drove all around the city and have a twenty five mile (round trip) commute to work and still only fill up my gas tank with twenty dollars around once or twice a month. It is a great car and quite a lot cuter than your standard Prius. It is not as roomy but it is nice and compact if you do not need to worry about lugging around a bunch of things. It can still hold a lot of you like to go camping or taking your pups out on a hike. All around great vehicle.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Piero C
Affordable, some standard active safety technology, warranty includes complimentary maintenance
Take the uninspired underpinnings of the Toyota Yaris and mix with it an even less powerful version of the Prius hybrid powertrain and you get the Prius C. The C rides on a shorter wheelbase than the regular Prius, and the C's combined 99 hp is less than the 134 hp of the Prius. We saw 43 mpg in our highway driving, but coaxing that level of fuel economy drained all driving pleasure from the equation. Standard safety items include automated emergency braking and lane-departure warning
accountCircle John L
Prius c is too small - GPS is terrible!
I really liked the Prius c for the first year or 2, but I feel like it is just too small now. Also, the GPS is completely inaccurate most of the time even after updating it. There’s a battery exhaust port behind the driver's seat so you lose floor room in the back.
accountCircle Charles S
The Fuel economy is excellent. A tank of gas is less than 25 dollars
I dislike the acceleration but I like fuel economy.
accountCircle Chris D
Great gas mileage, though rather boring to drive.
This certainly is not a bad car by any means. It is a comfortable ride. It gets great gas mileage, I think I average about 41 mpg. My only complaint is that it is kind of boring. It is not fun to drive like say a Mazda 3 would be. It has no real pick up to speak of, but once you do get up to speed it can easily go 75, 80, 85 with no trouble. The cargo space is somewhat limited, though better than you would think by looking at it. Overall it is a good car so long as you do not want any excitement in your drive.
accountCircle Mila J
Interesting detail: He is electric blue and dents easily, but said dents can be popped out by hand because of thin metal used to build him. Summary: just one cool mf.
Feels a little cheap even though it isn't. The frame feels like tin (you can literally pop a dent out with your hands I've done it multiple times) and the interior makes you feel like you are driving a toy car. It also has no acceleration power. However, I have formed an attachment with my car, Eugene, due to how affordable he is. He gets me from point A to point B with little fuel costs. Also, a very reliable car. My family has had him for 5+ years with no real problems.
accountCircle Randy L
The car is okay, decent, not the most attractive to the eye.
Car is small and really stable/comfortable to drive. Brakes are responsive and overall a decent car. I feel like I have great control over it when I drive and it is a great car for those that are tight on money or on a budget. It is also very fuel efficient and it is easy to do maintenance on it by yourself.
accountCircle Paula W
Small and reliable with great gas mileage.
It gets great gas mileage, almost 51 miles to the gallon!! The car is very compact and not very comfortable for long road trips! I have had no major problems with my car, just some minor lock and window issues! I have gotten my oil changed routinely and tires changed and rotated! It has been a great little car for me to get to work since I lived so far away! I did have one problem with my air conditioner, but just needed freon! All in all, it has been very reliable!
accountCircle Sofia T
A car that works wherever feels like it.
Since day one I have problem with my radio and ac one moment is flowing air in my face next only in my feet. The radio sometimes does not want to turn on and sometimes time does not want to turn off I took it to maintain and they said it was fix I am tired of it.

Toyota Prius c Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
One
73 HP 50 MPG 5 Seats
car
Two
73 HP 50 MPG 5 Seats
car
Three
73 HP 50 MPG 5 Seats
car
Four
73 HP 50 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Toyota Prius c Owner Reviews

4.36
164 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 54%
4 stars 30%
3 stars 13%
2 stars 2%
1 star 1%
accountCircle Semeen S on May 13, 2021
The best car that I have right now.
I love the style and the touch screen. What is good is that you can call from the screen. The car also is a hybrid which saves me money and is good for the environment. I love how you charge your phones in the car. Also that the trunk has a lot of space so it can fit so many things. These are reasons why I like my car.
accountCircle Abigail J on May 5, 2021
Prius c review- great gas mileage.
My Prius is a perfect car for me. I get between forty and fifty miles to the gallon, and I save so much money on gas. The hybrid engine is great! My car is very easy to drive. The only drawback is that it is pretty small without a ton of storage space.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Mikaela H.

The pros of my vehicle are as follows: Great miles per gallon/gas mileage. Smooth to drive. Good visibility. Feel safe while driving it. Compact and thus easy to maneuver and park. Tells you how many miles you have left in your gas tank.

likeFilled Caroline K.

The pros for this vehicle are definitely the mileage. I get between 40 and 50 mpg on the highway. It is a small car so for a large family it would be a tight squeeze but it saves me ( a single person) so much money on gas.

likeFilled Theresa M.

It has amazing gas mileage and saves so much money on gas, small and easy to get in and out of parking spaces. I now have 65k miles and have not had a single bit of trouble with it. You can see how much gas you saved per trip.

likeFilled Lisa C.

I wanted to purchase a hybrid, compact, Toyota because they have a good track record. It is rare they break down if you keep up with the maintenance. The price was the only issues, other than the price all positive.

likeFilled Matthew W.

Definitely gas mileage! I usually get between 42 and 57 mpg on my commute to work. It is also a breeze to park because it is so small and maneuverable. Parking garages and large parking lots are much easier to navigate. Also uses up very little space in the garage.

likeFilled Shay S.

Pros, it's a really reliable car. We take it on long trips all the time and it's super durable. Cons, it's not your fastest or prettiest car. It's definitely for those who like to show off, but it's a great car. I am considering buying another.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Mikaela H.

The cons of my vehicle are as follows: does not have a backup camera. Small, so cannot fit a whole lot of items in the back seat or trunk and it is squishy for those sitting in the back. These are the main two cons of my vehicle... Other than these cons, I really like driving this car!

dislikeFilled Caroline K.

Its size is its only drawback. Not much trunk space. It is definitely made for the driver, would be nice if the passenger seats and cup holders were bigger and sturdier. It is low to the ground which it would be nicer if it was higher off the ground.

dislikeFilled Theresa M.

Its very low to the ground plus being so small it's hard to get in and out of this car pus it has a small back seat not much room back there. Would not recommend taking it on very long trips because of how uncomfortable.

dislikeFilled Lisa C.

I really have no cons to express about this car, the only con is the price, a non hybrid would have been cheaper for the same car. I guess it would be better for our economy to buy American, buy Toyota employees Americans.

dislikeFilled Matthew W.

Slow to accelerate, can make merging onto the highway harder. Not much space for passengers or very much trunk space. Afraid if it was in a accident it would've totaled quite easily. Great daily driver, but not a great family vehicle.

dislikeFilled Shay S.

It's just not the prettiest of fastest. It's not for those who like to show off. If you want something fancy, don't buy this. It's also a pretty old make so it'll start needing more maintenance soon. But really it's been an amazing car.

Ranks #8 Hybrid & Electric by Owners

The 2012 Toyota Prius c has an average owner rating of 4.56 out of 5 which ranks it #8 of 22 other Hybrid & Electrics.

1
Tie
car
5
1
Tie
car
5
8
car
4.53

Ranks #5 Hybrid & Electric by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Toyota Prius c has a combined MPG of 90 which ranks it #5 of 22 other Hybrid & Electrics.

1
car
126 MPG
2
car
110 MPG
5
car
53 MPG

Is The 2012 Toyota Prius c A Good Car?

Yes it's a very good vehicle, very reliable and fuel efficient. 62,000 miles and never had any type of problem with it.
Theresa M.
Great! Wish they still make them. It is good for long trips when there is only two people in the car and a small dog. It is good in not to crazy dirt roads.
Vanessa T.
We love our Toyota Prius C! The gas mileage is incredible and we have not had any problems whatsoever with this model. It has served us well.
Debbie C.
Yes because it's great on gas being a hybrid so I spend a lot less time in the gas station and save a whole lot of money
Maria C.
Yes. It gets great MPG. It has been extraordinarily reliable and inexpensive to maintain (although I haven't put very many miles on it). It is a little weak on power going up long hills with a full... Read More
Stephanie H.
Yes, it is reliable, low maintenance, and gets great gas mileage. It’s also extremely roomy and can comfortably fit 5 passengers or furniture.
Sarah E.
Yes! It's very reliable, sporty, and surprisingly roomy for its size. It's very fuel efficient and cost effective to operate.
Gavin L.
Yes love it, get gas mileage and very roomy for long trips! Have had little to no problems with it since purchasing it from my mother 2 years ago.
Amanda G.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Toyota Prius c?

It is very reliable, 62,000 and have not had any problems with it. Runs great and is very fuel efficient.
Theresa M.
Doesn’t have any problems and it is reliable. Wish it had a little bit more clearance. The folding seats are great transporting big items.
Arin W.
Yes, it is reliable. We have not had one problem with the Prius C since we bought it in 2012. As a matter of fact, we bought two Prius C cars and both have been very reliable. We have not had any... Read More
Ruby K.
Mine is a 2012 with 60,000 miles and to date, I have not had any problems and have only done oil changes
Ross S.
It is very reliable. It runs smoothly and strongly. I have noticed the rooftop rubber strips tend to rise a little toward the back of the car, and they have gotten pushed up from their channels... Read More
Jay W.
Yes it is very reliable and I have not noticed any problems with the vehicle at all. Sometimes however the AC fan makes a lot of sound but it works alright.
Natalie R.
The car is very reliable. I have never had issues with the car mechanically, and all electronics are still working as if it is new.
Kristen G.
I would consider this a very reliable and a great family car. Great for small families of 5 or less. I have 2 dogs and it works out perfect for them too!
Marissa M.

Is The 2012 Toyota Prius c A Good Value?

I paid 18,000 back in 2012 when it was brand new. I do believe it was a great deal overall. Along with fuel efficiency, makes for a good buy.
Theresa M.
I got it for 25,000. I think it was a good value because of how good the car has been so far and the lack of problems
Morgan H.
We paid approximately 20,000 for each Prius on 2012. We believe the Prius C is an exceptional value.
Liz W.
It was 18,000 I believe when I bought it brand new. I believe it was a good value because it wasn't that expensive and I saved on gas also
Jack W.
It cost me $21,300 for the final price with tax, destination, options, etc added. At 50 MPG, I am very happy with the value on a weekly basis. I'd much rather have my Prius C than a larger car with... Read More
Colby C.
My Prius was part of an even trade-in. I traded my Honda CR-V for the Prius and the amount was equal value. I would say for me it was a great value.
Jacqueline J.
New the car was $21,000. It is a very good value, as the original price was low, it had been inexpensive to operate, and it has held its value well over the years.
Catherine C.

Related Articles for 2012 Toyota Prius c

From the Vehicle History blog

car
2012 Toyota Prius C Problems Include Major Hybrid Inverter Failures and Burnt-out Headlights

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the warranty on a 2012 Toyota Prius C?

Answer: The default warranty for Your 2020 Toyota Prius c iS36 months, or 36,000 miles. There are additional parts warranties, though, that You should be aware of. The hybrid systems are covered for 96 months, or...

How do I reset the oil light in a 2012 Toyota Prius C?

Answer: To reset the oil light on a 2012 Toyota Prius c You will need to press the odometer reset button while the vehicle is in the on position, then turn the engine off, continue holding the button, then cycle the...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test
(Not Rated)
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety