The 2019 Toyota Prius is associated with 30 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 5 reports (17% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 5 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.8L 4-Cyl hybrid, 1.8L 4-Cyl plug-in hybrid, and 1.5L 4-Cyl hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 46 to 56 MPG combined. Plug-in hybrid variants are rated up to 133 MPGe (54 MPG on gasoline) with up to 25 miles of electric driving range.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 30 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Other / Uncategorized (5 / 17%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 7 crash / 0 fire / 2 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 46–56 MPG (5 variants • PHEV up to 133 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 Eco Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 58 MPG | 53 MPG | 56 MPG | — | $1,100 / yr |
| Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 145 MPGe (55 MPG) | 121 MPGe (53 MPG) | 133 MPGe (54 MPG) | 25 mi EV (640 mi total) | $1,150 / yr |
| Prius Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 54 MPG | 50 MPG | 52 MPG | — | $1,200 / yr |
| Prius AWD Hybrid | 1.8L 4-Cyl | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 52 MPG | 48 MPG | 50 MPG | — | $1,250 / yr |
| Prius c Hybrid | 1.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 48 MPG | 43 MPG | 46 MPG | — | $1,350 / 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 2019 Toyota Prius provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 25 miles on a single battery charge.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 5 HB FWD | | | | | 10.7% |
| PRIME 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
| 5 HB AWD | | | | | 10.7% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2019 Toyota Prius models.
View complete 2019 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 2019 Toyota Prius problems & component breakdown (22 categories) →
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Prius vehicles. An electrical short circuit in the combination meter could occur, causing the speedometer, the odometer, and the fuel gauge to go blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flash memory chip (ROM) production date, and if necessary, replace it along with the combination meter circuit board, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TA21 and 19TB21.
Affected Component: ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h, LS500h, Toyota Prius, RAV4 HV, 2019-2020 Toyota Prius Prime, and 2020 Corolla HV vehicles. The brake booster pump may fail causing a deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system and a loss of braking assist. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake booster pump, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2019. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 and Lexus owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1L/K0L. Lexus' numbers for this recall are K2F/KLF.
Affected Component: HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Prius C vehicles. The DC-DC converter may fail resulting in the auxiliary battery no longer receiving power from the converter, which may cause a loss of drive.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the DC-DC converter with a new one, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0K.
View all 2019 Toyota Prius recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →