Model-year record
2021 Toyota Prius
See the complaints, recalls, crash rating, and fuel economy in the public record. Then check the mileage and history of the car you found.
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Federal source records
Complaints filed
6
Reports to NHTSA, 2021
Safety recalls
0
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
52
EPA estimate
Known issues
Electrical System issues lead owner complaints (17% of 6 reports), followed by forward collision avoidance (17%).
Share of all 6 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11526893.
Individual complaint reports(6)
Showing the 6 most recent reportsFuel/Propulsion SystemFeb 2026 · ODI 11719876Details +Close −
When i am going down it's charging when the charge reaches 6 from 8 the engine starts working and stop changing at that point and the power continues comes from engine only without the hybrid battery and there are no codes
- Reported
- Feb 2026
- Incident date
- Oct 2023
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- None reported
Vehicle Speed ControlSep 2024 · ODI 11615271Details +Close −
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 - 45 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The contact swerved around the vehicle in front and ended up on the opposite side of the roadway. The contact attempted to avoid oncoming traffic and swerving around all the other vehicles and ended up in a ravine. The contact's husband depressed the START/STOP button from the passenger’s side to turn off the vehicle, enabling the vehicle to come to a stop. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued to drive the vehicle to the dealer at slow speeds. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by the dealer. The failure mileage was 56,000.
- Reported
- Sep 2024
- Incident date
- Sep 2024
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- None reported
Forward Collision AvoidanceJul 2023 · ODI 11532235Details +Close −
The Lane keeping assist used in radar cruise control mode during some drive cycles will attempt to maintain the vehicle position to the far extreme of the lane and in some cases actively veer out of the lane. My safety ant others can be put at risk when the vehicle behaves outside of its design parameters like this. To solve the issue the vehicle must be pulled over, turned off, then restarted. After the restart it will resume functioning normally, maintaining lane positioning as intended within the limits of the system. The trigger for this is unknown but could be speculated that it is drive cycle dependent and may start during initialization. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or service center due to its intermittent nature. There are no warning indicators or lamps on when this occurs.
- Reported
- Jul 2023
- Incident date
- Jan 2022
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- None reported
Electrical SystemJun 2023 · ODI 11526893 · crashDetails +Close −
The car accelerated without my foot on the accelerator, brake did not respond, and I had to drive through grass and a rock-filled ditch until after about 10 seconds the car returned to my control.
- Reported
- Jun 2023
- Incident date
- May 2023
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- Crash
Unknown Or OtherMay 2021 · ODI 11416154Details +Close −
CARBON MONOXIDE SEEPS INTO THE PASSENGER CAR BUT DILLER CANNOT FIND IT AND DID NOT HAVE TOOLS TO DETECT CO LEVEL IN THE CAR. I CAN'T USE THIS CAR BECAUSE WAS POISONED MANY TIMES AND AFTER A SECOND CHECK-UP, THE LEVEL OF CO BECOMES HIGHER SO I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT POISONING. PLEASE HELP ME. I AM WORRYING TO SELL MY CAR BECAUSE OTHER DRIVER WILL GET INJURY. THIS IS THE NEW CAR ONLY 7000 MILES.
- Reported
- May 2021
- Incident date
- Feb 2021
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- None reported
WheelsMar 2021 · ODI 11404863Details +Close −
WHILE DRIVING ON THE I 4 WE HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 200 MILES ON IT SO IT WAS BRAND NEW. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND OBJECT IN THE TIRE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSE THE PROBLEM THE ONLY CONCLUSION I COULD COME TO IS THAT THIS TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID I COULD HAVE RUN OVER A LARGE OBJECT OR A LARGE POTHOLE, WHICH I DOUBT.
- Reported
- Mar 2021
- Incident date
- Mar 2021
- Mileage
- Not provided
- Outcome flags
- None reported
Recalls
No recalls are listed for this model year as of Jul 2026. Recall records can change when NHTSA publishes new information.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
1 NHTSA investigation on record
Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Crash-test ratings
2021 Toyota PRIUS 5 HB FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
2021 Toyota PRIUS 5 HB AWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius | 1.8L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 54 | 50 | 52 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
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Compare the year-by-year record
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2021 Toyota Prius: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2021 Toyota Prius?
Owners filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the 2021 Toyota Prius. This is raw owner-reported complaint volume with no production or exposure normalization, so it is not a reliability score or a best/worst-year ranking.
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Toyota Prius?
The most-reported problem areas are Electrical System (17% of complaints) and forward collision avoidance (17%).
How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Prius have?
No safety recalls are on record for the 2021 Toyota Prius as of Jul 2026.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Toyota Prius get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Toyota Prius at 52 mpg combined.