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2021 Toyota Prius problems

The most common problem on the 2021 Toyota Prius is engine and cooling. It has fewer complaints than a typical Prius model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
95/100
Owner complaints
6
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
118
Worst area
Engine
Fuel economy
49-56mpg

The worst 2021 Toyota Prius problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Engine
    2
  • Fuel system
    2
  • Acceleration
    1
  • Brakes
    1
  • Driver assistance
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Engine
    2
  • Fuel system
    2
  • Acceleration
    1
  • Brakes
    1
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Electrical
    1
  • Wheels
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Defect investigations

Pedestrian alert soundsOpened January 27, 2023, closed August 7, 2023

the federal safety agency 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 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, the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.

DP22005

Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Prius 118

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 118 bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Prius

2021 Toyota Prius fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
1.8L 4‑cyl HybridFWD54-5850-5352-56
1.8L 4‑cyl Hybrid4WD514749

What 2021 Toyota Prius owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Feb 23, 2026 · Fuel system · NC

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

Filed Sep 18, 2024 · Acceleration · 56,000 miles · IL

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.

Filed Jul 14, 2023 · Driver assistance · PA

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.

Filed Jun 13, 2023 · Brakes, Electrical · PA · crash

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.

Filed May 11, 2021 · Engine, Fuel system · 5,200 miles · FL

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.

Filed Mar 25, 2021 · Wheels · 190 miles · FL

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.

Compare the 2021 Toyota Prius

Prius vs Toyota Camry HybridPrius vs Ford Fusion HybridPrius vs Honda Accord HybridPrius vs Honda Insight

Other model years

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Questions about the 2021 Toyota Prius

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius reliable?

Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2021 Toyota Prius, fewer than a typical Prius model year.

What is the 2021 Toyota Prius year score?

The 2021 Toyota Prius scores 95 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Toyota Prius: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota Prius?

Engine and cooling, with 2 complaints. Next is fuel system (2).

How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Prius have?

No recalls on record.

What year does the Toyota Prius have bad engine?

The Toyota Prius model years with the most engine complaints are 2010 (173 complaints), 2004 (98 complaints) and 2005 (79 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2021 Toyota Prius get?

Official estimates for the 2021 Toyota Prius range from 49 to 56 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.8L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 54-58 city and 50-53 highway.

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