2018 Toyota Prius reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Toyota Prius has 36 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 7 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Prius years here — under the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Wiring.

2016 Toyota Prius — Photo by Kārlis Dambrāns from Latvia, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Exterior lighting (5 of 36), then Visibility and wipers (5) and Speed control (4). Those filings include 5 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Prius has 91 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2019 has 30 complaints, 3 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Toyota Prius. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall electrical system, wiring 2018-09-05 · NHTSA campaign 18V579000

Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.

Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.

Complaints by component (36 total)

Exterior lighting

Visibility and wipers

Speed control

Air bags

Engine and engine cooling

Service brakes

Structure

Electrical system

Engine

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Seats

Air brakes

Forward collision avoidance

Latches, locks, and linkages

Visibility

Wheels

Show 9 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while having a routine oil change, the contact was made aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. No warning lights were illuminated. The…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-08-17
"The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine constantly overheated. An unidentified warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. An independent…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-06-26
"Both taillamps holding moisture. Could cause electrical issues or fire. .. same year and model car have same reported issues and were fixed by manufacturer. This vehicle is the same but different level."
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-03-13
"Driver door lock actuator not working. This seems to be a common problem for Toyota over the last decade, but they yet to put more vehicles to their recall list. Actuator just stopped working. I have to use key out of…"
Electrical system · filed 2025-08-26
"The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated the trunk opened at a slow speed and failed to remain open. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle…"
Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2025-07-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2018 Toyota Prius 5 HB FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Prius	1.8L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	54	50	52 MPG	$1250
Prius Eco	1.8L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	58	53	56 MPG	$1150

Specs and fitment

4th generation, 2016–2022

Body styles Liftback

Oil SAE 0W-16 (SAE 0W-20 may be used temporarily if 0W-16 is unavailable; replace with 0W-16 at the next oil change) , 4.4 qt capacity

Tire size 195/65R15, P215/45R17

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-579 covers certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU) could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Dealers inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found, and install a protective sleeve or protective tape to prevent future damage.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Toyota Prius Next year 2019 Toyota Prius See every Toyota Prius model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Toyota Prius reliable?

What are common problems with a 2018 Toyota Prius?

The complaints owners file most often name Exterior lighting (5 of 36), then Visibility and wipers (5) and Speed control (4). Those filings include 5 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Toyota Prius more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Prius has 91 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2019 has 30 complaints, 3 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Toyota Prius been recalled?

The 2018 Toyota Prius has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Toyota Prius?

Owners have filed 36 complaints about the 2018 Toyota Prius with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Toyota Prius get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Toyota Prius is 54 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is a 2018 Toyota Prius?

4th generation (US model years 2016-2022).

What oil does a Toyota Prius hybrid take?

US manuals for recent Prius liftbacks specify about 4.4 qt with filter; viscosity is SAE 0W-20 on 2012-2015 models and SAE 0W-16 (with 0W-20 as a temporary substitute) on 2016+ models.

When did the fifth-generation Prius start in the US?

Fifth generation (XW60) US model years begin with 2023.