Head-to-head reliability
Toyota Tacoma vs Toyota Prius
How the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota Prius compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Toyota Tacoma vs Toyota Prius: The Tacoma has 114 complaints per year, with major issues in powertrain and brakes, while the Prius has 27 per year, with electrical and brake concerns. The Tacoma has 24 recalls, the Prius 20. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota Tacoma or Toyota Prius more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup known for off-road capability, but the data shows a high volume of complaints concentrated in the powertrain, brakes, and fuel system. Owners report serious issues like driveshaft failures during 4WD use, transmission shuddering at low speeds, and sudden loss of power, which can be alarming and potentially dangerous. The high complaint rate (114 per year) and multiple recalls suggest that while the truck is popular, reliability may be inconsistent, especially in newer models.
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a hybrid hatchback valued for fuel economy, but the complaint data reveals a different set of concerns. Owners report issues with the 12-volt battery causing starting problems, sudden loud speaker noise that can be painful, spontaneous window shattering, and brake system anomalies. With a lower complaint rate (27 per year) and fewer recalls, the Prius generally has fewer reported problems, but the ones that occur can be disruptive and sometimes safety-related.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota Tacoma | Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,144 | 273 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 | 20 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 68 | 42 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 114.4 | 27.3 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 91 | 23 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 | 1 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Toyota Tacoma
- 01POWER TRAIN253
- 02SERVICE BRAKES204
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM158
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER148
- 05ENGINE137
Owners report driveshaft failures during 4WD use, often linked to a recall, and transmission shuddering or vibration when slowing down, especially at low speeds. These issues can leave you stranded or cause unsafe driving conditions.
Complaints include brake system failures related to front axle shaft recalls, and incidents where adaptive cruise control caused unexpected braking, leading to near-misses. Brake reliability is critical for safety.
Some owners report sudden loss of power when accelerating from a stop, which can be life-threatening in traffic. Others mention fuel filler neck design issues that cause gas to overflow during refueling, a nuisance and potential hazard.
“MY 2025 TACOMA is part of a recall by Toyota, I was notified of the potential issue on early November 2025 and told Toyota was working on a remedy. On December 3rd, 2025 while using 4-wheel drive during a snow storm the drive shaft (recall issue) broke. On De…”
“I have a 2026 Toyota Tacoma 850 miles on it. I had a problem at about 200 miles that the transmition started to shutter or vibrate as it was slowing down around 26 miles an hour to 10 not exactly that every time but close and as it slowed down it had this dis…”
Toyota Prius
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER52
- 02SERVICE BRAKES45
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM43
- 04VISIBILITY/WIPER31
- 05VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL27
A notable issue is an extremely loud, ear-piercing noise from the speakers when starting the vehicle, which can damage hearing and is distressing, especially for children. Also, hood latch corrosion can make it difficult to open the hood.
Owners report that a low 12-volt battery can cause the car to not shift properly, and there are instances of brake failure or unexpected braking, which are serious safety concerns.
Problems include the 12-volt battery draining quickly, leading to starting issues, and electrical glitches that may affect the infotainment or other systems. These can be inconvenient and costly to fix.
There are reports of the driver's side window spontaneously shattering while driving, and windshields cracking from temperature changes, which can obscure vision and pose a safety risk.
“Extremely loud, ear-piercing noise from speakers when the vehicle is started. Lasts about two to three seconds. My ears have been damaged by it. My young boys cried while in their car seats and said that their ears hurt. Noise occurs randomly. Dealer states t…”
“My 2022 Prius LE hood latch does not work. It does not click and hood stays locked. They told me at Walmart that the hood latch is probably corroded somewhere or defective. It takes two people to open the hood. My vehicle has 54,490mi. This has happened twice…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Toyota Tacoma — 24 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner…
The risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charg…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Tacoma 4-wheel drive vehicles. The rear brake hoses can be damaged if mud and dirt builds up inside the rear wheels. This can result in a brake fluid leak.
The risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace both rear brake hoses, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB04 and 25TA04.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid vehicles. The front driveshaft constant-velocity (CV) joint may deform and break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can impair steering. Vehicles with full-time 4WD may experience a vehicle rollaway while parked without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace both front driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed November 14, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is ava…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand…
The risk: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the load carrying capacity modification label, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 26, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LB04, 26LA04…
Toyota Prius — 20 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
The risk: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving or during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace both right and left rear door opener switches, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB06 and 24T…
The defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain Toyota 2023 GR Supra, 2024 4 Runner, Corolla, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid, 2023-2024 BZ4X, Corolla Cross Hybrid, GR Corolla, GR86, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime, Sequoia…
The risk: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R2.
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
The risk: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed July 13, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB03 and 26TA03. This recall…
Buyer analysis
Toyota Tacoma or Toyota Prius: which should you buy?
The Toyota Prius has significantly fewer complaints per year (27.3 vs 114.4) and fewer recalls (20 vs 24), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. While both have safety concerns, the Tacoma's higher volume of serious powertrain and brake problems suggests it may be more troublesome to own, especially for a first-time buyer.
Key differences
- The Tacoma has a much higher complaint rate (114/yr) vs the Prius (27/yr), indicating more frequent problems.
- Tacoma owners report serious powertrain failures like driveshaft breakage and transmission shuddering, while Prius issues are more electrical and cosmetic.
- The Prius has a notable issue with loud speaker noise that can cause hearing damage, a unique safety concern.
- The Tacoma has more recalls (24 vs 20), including ones for driveshaft and brake components, which are critical for safety.
- Inspect the driveshaft and front axle shafts for any signs of wear or previous recall repairs, as failures have been reported during 4WD use.
- Test the transmission for shuddering or vibration when slowing down, especially between 10-26 mph, as this is a common complaint.
- Check the 12-volt battery health and ensure the car starts reliably, as low battery can cause shifting issues.
- Listen for any unusual speaker noise when starting the vehicle, as this has been reported and can be damaging to hearing.
Before you buy
- For the Tacoma, verify that all recalls have been performed, especially the driveshaft and brake-related ones.
- Take the Tacoma on a test drive that includes low-speed braking and acceleration to check for transmission shudder or power loss.
- For the Prius, test the audio system at startup to ensure no loud popping or screeching sounds.
- Have a mechanic inspect the Prius's 12-volt battery and charging system, as it is a common source of problems.
- Check the Prius's windows and windshield for any signs of stress cracks or previous replacements.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Toyota Tacoma | Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 9 |
| 2025 | 78 | 15 |
| 2024 | 141 | 22 |
| 2023 | 50 | 18 |
| 2022 | 57 | 24 |
| 2021 | 77 | 6 |
| 2020 | 86 | 14 |
| 2019 | 211 | 29 |
| 2018 | 202 | 35 |
| 2017 | 237 | 101 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Toyota Tacoma or Toyota Prius in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota Tacoma vs Toyota Prius
- Toyota Tacoma total complaints
- 1,144
- Toyota Prius total complaints
- 273
- Toyota Tacoma total recalls
- 24
- Toyota Prius total recalls
- 20
- Toyota Tacoma avg complaints/year
- 114.4
- Toyota Prius avg complaints/year
- 27.3
- More reliable overall
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Tacoma top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Toyota Prius top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER