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Toyota Prius PrimeModel year report

2021 Toyota Prius Prime Problems

Complaints
10filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
34,000miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
54 mpgcombined (gas only), 1.8L 4-cyl · plug-in hybrid FWD · 55 city / 53 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The part named most often is electrical system, with 4 complaints (40% of the total), followed by brakes (3) and fuel system (2). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 60% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 34,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 122 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 39 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 73,000. It was later discovered upon checking the vehicle history report with a Local dealer, the contact was informed that the mileage was 274,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11723068, filed 2026-03, 274,000 miles

Brakes: “Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.”

NHTSA complaint #11492523, filed 2022-11

Fuel system: “I was slowly entering a handicapped parking place right in front of a business. The distance from the front of the parking space to the building wall was about 15 feet, one car length. I approached the place to stop in the parking spot when in a split second the car violently surged forward and would have crashed into the cinderblock wall had there not been a supporting post on the building and a metal frame with equipment which stopped the forward movement. The surge was explosive, almost like the acceleration of an airplane taking off. The whole incident took a second or two. …”

NHTSA complaint #11696251, filed 2025-10

Transmission and drivetrain: “The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that after the vehicle was shifted into park, the key was removed and the contact stepped away from the vehicle, when the vehicle inadvertently started to roll away. As a result, the vehicle rolled into the neighbor’s driveway and grazed another vehicle then stopped. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was on the charger port, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11545583, filed 2023-09, 80,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

60% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 27,696 and 80,000 miles.

20%0–100%10–2540%25–500%50–7520%75–1000%100–15020%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 34,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2021202220232024202532026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Prius Prime · hatchback FWD★★★★★4 / 5554 · 10.7% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2021 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.

Neighbouring years: 2022: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2021 Toyota Prius Prime version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving); plug-in hybrid figures are for gasoline-only (hybrid mode) driving, so no annual cost is shown.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Prius Prime FWD1.8L 4-cyl · plug-in hybridCVT555354 gas only—

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 122 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 122 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Prius Prime

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2024157,0004552—Too new
202368,5484552—Too new
202286,3501554—Not enough data
20211034,0000554—Not enough data
2020169,2501—54—Falling
201999,0141—54—Not enough data
20181615,0000—54—Stable
2017426,5000—54Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Stable

All Toyota Prius Prime model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime have?

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 4 complaints (40% of the total), followed by brakes with 3.

Has the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime get?

The EPA rates the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime (Prius Prime, 1.8L 4-cyl · plug-in hybrid) at 54 mpg combined, 55 city and 53 highway when running on gasoline in hybrid mode. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 34,000 miles and the middle half falls between 27,696 and 80,000 miles; 60% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.