What’s High Mileage on a Prius? How Many Miles Will a Toyota Prius Last?

In the last few decades, electric and hybrid cars have been all the rage. Apart from Tesla, there isn’t a single car that significantly impacted the automotive industry like the Prius. Even today, there is a huge cult following regardless of all the competition. But if you want to get in on that Prius lifestyle, it’s good to know what constitutes a high-mileage Prius.

Well, high mileage on a Prius depends on several factors we will go into later, but it’s safe to say anything more than 200,000 miles is plenty. However, that’s not to say it can’t do more; a Toyota Prius can last 250,000 to 300,000 miles and even more with responsible maintenance.

About the Toyota Prius

The Prius first came about in 1997 with the NHW10 generation, but that’s not the Prius we all know. The first generation looked like any other compact sedan with no distinguishable design cues.

Even so, the NHW10 is the one we should thank for getting the second-generation, tear-drop design Prius we all know and love/hate.

Toyota began selling that first generation Prius globally in 2000 after its impressive sales figures in Japan. Toyota recorded the same success in the North American market and Europe. And how wouldn’t it?

The Prius is the first mass-produced hybrid car that came out at a time when not even engine downsizing was on the horizon, let alone alternative powertrains.

To this day, it remains the best-selling hybrid car which is nothing but a testament to how good the second generation was.

That second generation came out in 2003, and it’s the one that caused all the rage. People truly believed the Prius was going to save the planet, and even celebrities pushed people to buy one.

Over 20 Hollywood celebrities bought one, and some still drive them today. Leonardo Dicaprio, for one, bought 6 or 7 second-gen Priuses, if my memory serves me.

Because of its popularity, the two following generations had pretty much the same unconventional body style, only a little modernized. Not only that, but many other manufacturers copied the Prius, like the Chevy Volt, Hyundai Ioniq, and Audi A2.

Today, Prius’s only advancement over the first two generations is the introduction of plug-in powertrains in 2012.

Besides that, newer Prius models have gotten bigger engines and battery capacities but not much else. Still, that doesn’t stop people from buying them, new or used.

But that still makes sense because, even with all the hype around them in the early years, the Prius wouldn’t survive this long had it not been a good car.

How Long Do Toyota Prius Engines Last

The early Prius 1NZ-FXE 1.5l engine is virtually indestructible. There are some accounts of higher-than-average oil consumption or some minor oil leaks, but all that is after the 100,000-mile mark, which is to be expected.

Also, the 1.5l gets forged internals which means its measly 75HP can’t do anything to hurt itself. These engines are known to go over 200,000 miles without any significant issues.

The later generations get a 1.8l 2ZR-FXE engine which is very similar to the 1.5, only with more power.

The common problems are much the same with the excessive oil consumption after 100,000 miles, but the 1.8 also has some issues with the water pump. Regardless, that’s nothing major, especially considering how reliable and long-lasting they are.

Ultimately, Toyota makes the longest-lasting cars and engines in the world, and these two variants are no different. Both are made to last pretty much forever with proper care, and that’s not difficult at all. Its maintenance is cheaper than other hybrids, and there are no serious common problems.

All you have to do is change the oil regularly and not cheap out on repairs when something goes wrong. With that, these engines should be the least of your concerns regarding how long your Prius will last.

How Long Do Toyota Prius Batteries and Electric Motors Last

Even though its internal combustion engines are bulletproof, the battery technologies at the time and even today aren’t that advanced. Toyota usually warrants Prius batteries at 8 to 10 years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles.

Of course, the batteries will likely be fine during that period, but depending on how you use the car and where you live, they could fail soon after.

In any case, you will have to replace the battery pack every 200,000 miles on average, and some owners had to replace them at 100,000 miles, so it’s difficult to be exact.

Also, they are not cheap, and you will have to dish out at least $2,000 for a new battery, but those expenses can quickly go up to $4,000 if you want an OEM one and have it replaced at a dealership.

That said, a second-hand battery is always an alternative, but even that will set you back at least $1,500 depending on how many miles it has done.

In any case, there is no getting around spending thousands for a battery replacement, so you might as well plan those expenses ahead to make it easier on your budget.

Lastly, you can expect the high-voltage batteries to last a little longer if you live in a warmer climate, and you can extend their lifespan by avoiding aggressive driving. Another way to do it is to always keep the battery charge between 20% and 80% to avoid putting strain on it.

As for electric motors, they pretty much last the car’s lifetime, and the chances of them failing is equal to spontaneous catastrophic engine failure. Meaning the batteries remain the only concern regarding Prius’ powertrain.

How Long Before You Can Expect Rust on a Prius

The Prius is well known for being rust-resistant even in the harshest climates. People report doing 100,000 and even 150,000 miles in snowy winters and salty roads without any visible corrosion on the underside or anywhere else on the car.

Interestingly, in those same conditions, a brand-new heavy-duty truck will begin to rust in some places even after only five years.

It’s hard to say why that is. Maybe high-quality steel, quality zinc coating, paint, under-coating, whatever it is, it makes the Prius immune to rust. Moreover, some owners reported having deep scratches on the car, and years later, that spot displayed only surface-level rust.

That said, there are a couple of examples on the web where a Prius rusted all throughout the underside for an unknown reason.

But it’s safe to say those are isolated incidents, and if that does happen, it’s while the car is still relatively new and covered by warranty. It could also be that the car survived a crash earlier in life.

Ultimately, you are as safe from rust as possible with a Prius. But even so, inspect the critical places like wheel wells, suspension components, and the floor.

Toyota Prius Owner Reviews

After answering the question of how long this or that car lasts dozens of times, the Prius, by far, has the most owners that have done over 300,000 miles.

There are forums, groups, and clubs dedicated to high-mileage Priuses, and there is a ridiculous number of them with over 400,000 miles, and the most I have seen is 700,000 miles.

Besides that, a lot of those groups are 300,000 miles plus, and each of those has dozens upon dozens of verified members. More importantly, all are happy with their car and use it daily, travel with it, use it for work, etc. Moreover, even after all those miles, they still get around 40mpg out of them.

That said, it’s important to mention that these Prius owners are often enthusiasts, so they care a little more about their car than the average person.

That translates into more regular and higher quality maintenance, but not much more. The point is you can easily get your Prius to that mileage without any extra mechanical knowledge.

Lastly, you can check this video below to see a teardown of the early 1.5l Prius engine after it has done 300,000 miles. You will notice that besides the carbon deposits, mainly due to poor maintenance, there is really not much else wrong with it.

FAQs

Is a Prius Reliable?

The Prius is a highly reliable car and gets excellent reliability ratings wherever you look. For example, Repairpal gives it 4.0 out of 5.0 for reliability, ranking it well above average for its segment.

What Year Prius Is the Most Reliable?

The most reliable Prius years are 1997-2004 and 2017-present. That’s the first generation and the last generation. Also, the years 2005-2009 aren’t particularly bad either.

Is the Prius Expensive to Fix?

No, the Prius is not expensive to fix. CarEdge estimates a Prius will cost you $4,000 for repairs over a ten-year period. That’s almost $3,000 less than the average for the segment.

What Is the Most Reliable Hybrid Car?

The most reliable hybrid car is the Lexus NX. Still, the Lexus costs significantly more than the Prius, and the most reliable hybrids in its price point are the Toyota Yaris, Corolla, and Prius itself.

What Year Did Priuses Have Problems?

The 2010-2015 Toyota Priuses have the most problems. The 2010 and 2011 model years especially, as they have the most recorded complaints than any other year. The most prominent problem is high oil consumption early on in the car’s life.

What Are the Pros and Cons of a Toyota Prius?

The pros of a Toyota Prius are excellent fuel economy, impressively long-lasting, above-average reliability, and good safety ratings. The Toyota Prius’s cons include bad performance, below-average ride quality, and insufficient rear legroom.

How Often Should You Service a Prius?

Toyota recommends you service a Prius every 5,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. There are also major service intervals at 15,000 and 30,000 miles.

Why Do People Buy a Prius?

The main reason people initially bought a Prius is that it was the most environmentally friendly car when it first came out. Today, people buy a Prius because of its fuel economy, reliability, and cost to own and run.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the only thing stopping your Prius from doing over 250,000 miles is you failing to do some basic maintenance or saving money where you shouldn’t.

Besides that, the only major component you should consider is the batteries which are not cheap by any means and need to be replaced every 150,000 to 200,000 miles at most.

Even so, after doing all the research, I can safely say that hundreds of people are with over 300,000 miles on their Prius. That means even with the several thousand-dollar batteries; a Prius is still worth the money.

Lastly, it’s hard to say what high mileage for a Prius is. One with 200,000 miles on the clock can still have plenty of life left in it, provided it has a full-service history.

But if you are in the market for one, make sure you checked when the battery pack was last replaced and adjust the price accordingly.

Get more details about Toyota Prius in these posts:

Ready Light On Prius: What Does It Mean?

Prius Maintenance Required Light Reset (How to Reset Maintenance)