The 2015 Toyota Prius is associated with 180 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Service Brakes, accounting for 68 reports (38% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.5L 4-Cyl hybrid, 1.8L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid, and 1.8L 4-Cyl hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 41 to 50 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 95 MPGe (50 MPG on gasoline) with up to 11 miles of electric driving range.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 180 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Service Brakes (68 / 38%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 31 crash / 1 fire / 13 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 41–50 MPG (4 variants • PHEV up to 95 MPGe)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Prius c Hybrid | 1.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 53 MPG | 46 MPG | 50 MPG | — | $1,250 / yr |
| Prius Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 90 MPGe (51 MPG) | 102 MPGe (49 MPG) | 95 MPGe (50 MPG) | 11 mi EV (540 mi total) | $1,250 / yr |
| Prius Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 50 MPG | 46 MPG | 48 MPG | — | $1,300 / yr |
| Prius v Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 43 MPG | 39 MPG | 41 MPG | — | $1,500 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2015 Toyota Prius provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 11 miles on a single battery charge.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 5 HB FWD | | | | | 12.1% |
| Plug-In Hybrid 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | | 12.4% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2015 Toyota Prius models.
View complete 2015 Toyota Prius crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2015 Toyota Prius problems & component breakdown (46 categories) →
Affected Component: HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.
Affected Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
Defect Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2015 Toyota Prius C vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will re-calibrate the TPMS, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET15E.
View all 2015 Toyota Prius recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →