Model overview

The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric car produced by Toyota since 1997 and since 2003 was offered only as a 4-door liftback since 2003.

Based on smog-forming emanations the Prius was rated as the cleanest car sold in the United States followed by the 2018 model year Prius Eco as the second most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered vehicle without plug-in capability, and lastly by the Hyundai Ioniq.

In 1997 sales begin in Japan and other countries, being the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was finally launched worldwide in 2000. Japan and the United States are the biggest markets, but the Prius is generally sold in over 90 countries. In May 2008 global cumulative sales reached a milestone of 1 million, 2 million in September 2010, and passed the 3 million in June 2013. In January 2017, the sales reached 4 million, the Prius liftback is the world's top-selling hybrid vehicle.

In 2011, Prius v an elongated hatchback and Prius c, a compact hatchback were added to extend the Prius family. In 2012 the Prius plug-in hybrid was released followed by the Prius Prime in November 2016, a second generation of the plug-in model. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Prime with the highest miles per gallon equivalent rating of the all-electric segment. In 2015 global sales of the Prius c variant reached the one million mark. The total cumulative sales of the Prius family reached 6.1 million units in January 2017, outlining 61% of the 10 million hybrids marketed by Toyota since 1997.

Toyota Prius known problems

• One of the problems is that the transmission is failing before time. To avoid, a possible solution is to replace the transmission fluid according to the maker instructions.
• Prius transmission problems linked to the models having a CVT shifter causing a slow response of the engine when you push the gas from a stop.
• Another issue of the Prius related to transmission is the whining sound of the engine and the increase of it with the rate escalation. 

Toyota Prius PDF owner manual

Posted by, John Mana

A passionate guy about car models, makes, and manuals.