YearToAvoid

2018 Toyota Prius Prime Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

43/100

#5 most-complained of 8 Prius Prime years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2018 Toyota Prius Prime has a complaint index of 43, ranks 5th worst out of 8 model years, and earns a Good verdict with 16 complaints and 0 recalls. Airbags, electrical, engine, fuel system, structure, and transmission each account for 13% of complaints.

Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
54
55 city / 53 hwy

Top 2018 Toyota Prius Prime problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other3 (19%)
  2. Airbags2 (13%)
  3. Electrical System2 (13%)
  4. Engine2 (13%)
  5. Fuel System2 (13%)
  6. Structure & Body2 (13%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain2 (13%)
  8. Brakes1 (6%)
  9. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (6%)
  10. HVAC1 (6%)

What owners report

  • Brakes reportedly failed to stop the car at low speed in heavy traffic despite no warning light, resulting in a low-speed rear-end crash.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in one head-on collision and deployed prematurely without impact in another, in each case leading to a crash.
  • Some owners describe sudden uncontrolled acceleration when shifting into reverse right after starting the engine.
  • The hybrid system reportedly shut down mid-drive, triggering warnings that power steering and power brakes were about to fail before the driver could pull over.
  • Owners report fuel deprivation events lasting several seconds at highway speed on repeated occasions.
  • Parking sensors and Intelligent Clearance Sonar reportedly triggered false alarms, especially in wet weather, with no fault found by dealers.
2018 Toyota Prius Prime complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2018Nov 2020Jan 2021Oct 2022Apr 2023Nov 2023Feb 2025
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2018 to Mar 2026; peak Nov 2023 (3).

2018 Toyota Prius Prime recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2018 Toyota Prius Prime fuel economy and fuel cost

City
55 MPG
Highway
53 MPG
Combined
54 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular Gas and Electricity
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other Prius Prime years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020172018201920202021202220232024
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Avoid10042054
2018Good4316054
2019Best08154
2020Caution5716154

All Toyota Prius Prime years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Toyota Prius Prime reliable?
NHTSA data gives it a complaint index of 43 and a Good verdict relative to other Prius Prime years, with 16 complaints and 0 recalls logged.
What is the top problem area for the 2018 Prius Prime?
Airbags is listed as the top problem area, tied with Electrical System, Engine, Fuel System, Structure & Body, and Transmission & Powertrain, each at 13% of complaints.
Does the 2018 Prius Prime have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2018 Prius Prime, compared to 1 recall for the 2019, 2020, and 2022 model years.
How does the 2018 Prius Prime compare to other years?
It ranks 5th worst out of 8 model years by complaint index (43), better than the 2017 (100, Avoid) and 2021 (86, Avoid), but not as low as the 2023 (14, Best).

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.