Toyota · Prius Prime · 2021
2021 Toyota Prius Prime
0
Recalls
10
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime has no recalls and 10 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags,service brakes,engine (1 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 29, 2026
Research Context
The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is air bags,service brakes,engine with 1 reported complaint.
Best Research Moves
- Use the complaint log to understand what owners were actually reporting instead of relying only on the raw complaint total.
- Review the recall section even if the total is smaller, because a limited number of recalls can still point to meaningful safety actions.
- Check the linked investigations for extra ODI context if you want to see whether owner complaints escalated into formal defect review.
Key Takeaways
- The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime currently shows no active NHTSA recalls listed on this page and 10 owner-reported complaints.
- This page currently shows 1 NHTSA investigation linked to this page.
- This page reflects complaint volume, recall history, and NHTSA test data, but it does not diagnose causes or rank reliability by itself.
- Safety data currently shows 5/5 overall NHTSA safety rating.
- The most frequently reported complaint categories on this page are air bags,service brakes,engine (1), back over prevention (1), power train,electrical system (1).
- Vehicle
- 2021 Toyota Prius Prime
- Recalls
- 0
- Complaints
- 10
- Safety Rating
- 5/5
How to Interpret This Page
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
NHTSA Crash Test Performance
Frontal Crash Test
Side Crash Test
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
10.7% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
ESC: StandardForward Collision Warning: StandardLane Departure Warning: Standard
Investigations
1 totalDPClosed
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.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMOpened: Jan 27, 2023Closed: Aug 7, 2023Related recall: 22V063000
Owner Complaints
10 totalELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 6, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was 73,000. It was later discovered upon checking the ...
Preview excerpt
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CRASH2 injuriesOct 22, 2025
I was slowly entering a handicapped parking place right in front of a business. The distance from the front of the parking space to the building wall was about 15 feet, one car length. I approached the place to stop in the parking spot when in a split second the car violently su...
Preview excerpt
BACK OVER PREVENTION
Jul 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rearview camera intermittently went black. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rearview camera intermitte...
Preview excerpt
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Mar 3, 2025
Rodents accessed and damaged the car because there essentials components are not protected.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
CRASHOct 20, 2024
My vehicle is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, which includes Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) and a Pre-Collision System. Today, while driving with DRCC engaged, my vehicle followed a leading car and appropriately slowed down to 2 mph as we approached a sig...
Preview excerpt
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated while driving 45–50 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The driver continued to pump the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and depressed to th...
Preview excerpt
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sep 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that after the vehicle was shifted into park, the key was removed and the contact stepped away from the vehicle, when the vehicle inadvertently started to roll away. As a result, the vehicle rolled into the neighbor’s...
Preview excerpt
AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE
CRASHNov 3, 2022
Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CRASHMar 15, 2022
A sticky accelerator caused my 2021 Prius to lurch forward into a wall. I was pulling into a parking place when this happened. The front airbag deployed. This is the second time this has happened to me with a Prius. In my previous Prius it happened to me two years ago. Both time...
Preview excerpt
VISIBILITY/WIPER
May 6, 2021
CAN'T SEE VEHICLE DISPLAY SCREEN DURING BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS, WHICH I FIND DANGEROUS CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT ISSUE, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE SAFETY
Showing 10 recent complaints from 10 total
View Full Complaint LogCompare Related Vehicles
Why Compare These Pages
The strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2021 Toyota models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
More Toyota Prius Prime Years
2022 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.1r1i8c2020 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.1r1i16c2023 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.4r3c2019 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.1r1i8c2024 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.4r10c2018 Toyota Prius PrimeCompare this year against 2021 for complaint and recall shifts.1i14c
More 2021 Toyota Models
2021 Toyota HighlanderAnother 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.4r423c2021 Toyota RAV4Another 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.1r360c2021 Toyota VenzaAnother 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.1r177c2021 Toyota CorollaAnother 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.1r172c2021 Toyota CamryAnother 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.1r150c2021 Toyota RAV4 PrimeAnother 2021 Toyota option for same-year comparison.4r1i92c
Frequently Asked Questions
How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime have?
The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
How many complaints have been filed for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?
NHTSA has received 10 owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime.
What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?
The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime are air bags,service brakes,engine (1 reports), back over prevention (1 reports), power train,electrical system (1 reports).
Does the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime have any recalls?
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Check Another Vehicle
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.