Toyota Prius C years to avoid (and the best years)

177 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall across 5 model years, 2012 to 2016. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

177complaints
1recalls
23reported crashes
1reported fires
15reported injuries

Which Toyota Prius C years should you avoid?

No Toyota Prius C model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Toyota Prius C year has 32 complaints on file. The busiest years are the 2012 (59) and 2013 (57).

What are the best Toyota Prius C years?

The Toyota Prius C years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2016 (12), 2015 (17) and 2014 (32). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	vs typical year	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2016	12	0.4×	0	0	0	Few red flags	Brakes
2015	17	0.5×	1	2	1	Few red flags	Electrical system
2014	32	1.0×	0	5	4	Few red flags	Brakes
2013	57	1.8×	0	8	2	Some concerns to check	Electrical system
2012	59	1.8×	0	8	8	Some concerns to check	Brakes

Recalls (1)

Tires · 15V514000 · Aug 2015 · model year 2015
If the vehicle is driven on underinflated tires, the tires may fail. Sudden tire failure increases the risk of a crash.