TOYOTA PRIUS · model year

2020 TOYOTA PRIUS

23 NHTSA complaints, 13 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020TOYOTAPRIUS carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 13 crashes, 0 fires, 13 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 PRIUS is unknown or other with 5 filings, followed by service brakes (4) and electrical system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2020 PRIUS, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

23
Complaints
13
Crashes
0
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths
2020 TOYOTA PRIUS — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

23 filings

Crashes Reported

13 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
SERVICE BRAKES4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
TIRES:SIDEWALL2
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
POWER TRAIN1
STRUCTURE1
WHEELS1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
ENGINE1
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS1
AIR BAGS1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS1

Recent Complaints

20250913CrashSERVICE BRAKES

I TURNED LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE IN MY 2020 PRIUS. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND MY CAR SHOT FORWARD. I COULDN'T STOP IT, AND IT HIT A CONCRETE POLE. IT ONLY TOOK 1 SECOND. IT SEEMS TOYOTA HYBRIDS ARE STILL HAVING THIS UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION DESPITE A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR LAW SUIT IN THE EARLY 2010'S. MY CAR WAS TOWED AND IS AWAITING INSPECTION BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20250913CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

I TURNED LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE IN MY 2020 PRIUS. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND MY CAR SHOT FORWARD. I COULDN'T STOP IT, AND IT HIT A CONCRETE POLE. IT ONLY TOOK 1 SECOND. IT SEEMS TOYOTA HYBRIDS ARE STILL HAVING THIS UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION DESPITE A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR LAW SUIT IN THE EARLY 2010'S. MY CAR WAS TOWED AND IS AWAITING INSPECTION BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20250818CrashAIR BAGS

I was the victim of an accident on [XXX]. The person of the other vehicle that collided with my vehicle after crossing at high speed and without stopping in the red light. The sensors of the anti-collision vehicle of my vehicle did not work and the air bag also did not work. Due to speed the airbag of the other vehicle triggered. I have shoulder pain due to impact. At the moment the insurer of the party involved is making it difficult to pay the compensation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20250818CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was the victim of an accident on [XXX]. The person of the other vehicle that collided with my vehicle after crossing at high speed and without stopping in the red light. The sensors of the anti-collision vehicle of my vehicle did not work and the air bag also did not work. Due to speed the airbag of the other vehicle triggered. I have shoulder pain due to impact. At the moment the insurer of the party involved is making it difficult to pay the compensation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20250818CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

I was the victim of an accident on [XXX]. The person of the other vehicle that collided with my vehicle after crossing at high speed and without stopping in the red light. The sensors of the anti-collision vehicle of my vehicle did not work and the air bag also did not work. Due to speed the airbag of the other vehicle triggered. I have shoulder pain due to impact. At the moment the insurer of the party involved is making it difficult to pay the compensation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240719UNKNOWN OR OTHER

About a year ago and again a few days ago, I was slowly moving my Prius forward when suddenly it accelerated at full speed. The first time I was pulling into a parking spot beyond which was a grassy area and then a stockade fence. When I felt the car lurch forward, I slammed on the brakes, but was still going quite fast. Fortunately, the collision avoidance brakes kicked in and stopped the car just before I hit the fence. In the second case, I was slowly pulling into a parking lot when again the car surged forward. This time I was able to stop the motion with the brakes myself . In both cases I was conscious of moving my foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal. In both cases it was a hot summer day, near 90.

20240208BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

After heavy rains, the car says the park assist doesn't work, as well as the parking sensor system. There is a warning sign that says it doesn't work.

20230531CrashFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On May 16, 2023 I was slowly driving out of a market parking lot when the car suddenly accelerated, full throttle, and speeded across the street (Colusa Avenue, Berkeley, CA), crashing head on into a fence. Immediately after the crash, the dashboard displayed the following: "Check Engine (!) A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected." The car was towed and is now at a body shop selected by my insurance company, AAA. I received whiplash, small bruises on my chest and left hand, and a scraped shin. I was taken to Alta Bates Emergency by ambulance.

20230531CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On May 16, 2023 I was slowly driving out of a market parking lot when the car suddenly accelerated, full throttle, and speeded across the street (Colusa Avenue, Berkeley, CA), crashing head on into a fence. Immediately after the crash, the dashboard displayed the following: "Check Engine (!) A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected." The car was towed and is now at a body shop selected by my insurance company, AAA. I received whiplash, small bruises on my chest and left hand, and a scraped shin. I was taken to Alta Bates Emergency by ambulance.

20230531CrashENGINE

On May 16, 2023 I was slowly driving out of a market parking lot when the car suddenly accelerated, full throttle, and speeded across the street (Colusa Avenue, Berkeley, CA), crashing head on into a fence. Immediately after the crash, the dashboard displayed the following: "Check Engine (!) A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected." The car was towed and is now at a body shop selected by my insurance company, AAA. I received whiplash, small bruises on my chest and left hand, and a scraped shin. I was taken to Alta Bates Emergency by ambulance.

20221104CrashSERVICE BRAKES

Attempted to park in my garage and overshot the turn. The brake then failed to stop and I dented my garage outer wall. I reversed my car and tried to reposition it to go inside the garage, putting it on drive. However, the brake pedal made the car accelerate and the car went on reverse. It then crashed into the neighbor's garage and crashed the door and car inside. Both the car inside the garage and the garage itself (along with the inside of the house) have been damaged.

20221104CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

Attempted to park in my garage and overshot the turn. The brake then failed to stop and I dented my garage outer wall. I reversed my car and tried to reposition it to go inside the garage, putting it on drive. However, the brake pedal made the car accelerate and the car went on reverse. It then crashed into the neighbor's garage and crashed the door and car inside. Both the car inside the garage and the garage itself (along with the inside of the house) have been damaged.

20220615TIRES:SIDEWALL

Ballooning on side wall of tire. When brought to dealer, they indicated that three other tires had same problem but not as obvious. Car had only 24k miles, with half these on these tires (rest on snow tires). Dealer reported that this was a serious danger.

20210924CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while, driving approximately 5 mph, making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb, and crashed into the bushes. The brake pedal was applied however, failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries, police report or air bag deployment. The vehicle was towed to an independent body shop. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified however no further assistance was provided. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. The failure mileage was 15,670.

Mileage: 15,670

20210924CrashSERVICE BRAKES

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while, driving approximately 5 mph, making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb, and crashed into the bushes. The brake pedal was applied however, failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries, police report or air bag deployment. The vehicle was towed to an independent body shop. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified however no further assistance was provided. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. The failure mileage was 15,670.

Mileage: 15,670

20210806TIRES:SIDEWALL

I was making a left turn into my subdivision after a full stop. My speed was no more than 5 MPH. The Toyota dealer informed me that the sidewall had blown and was not repairable. They had no definitive cause as to why the tire blew. The tire was retained by the dealer. The tire size is P 195/65R15 and is a Toyo NanoEnergy A41 Tire. It was original equipment on the Toyota Prius as built in Japan. I have found that the tire has no manufacturer's warranty. I just returned from a vacation three days ago driving from Hilton Head Island, SC. Had this happened on the interstate system, the results to me, my wife, or other drivers could have been very different. To the best of my knowledge, the tire has not been inspected by any party. I was not given any tire DOT information on the new tire.

20201226UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ORIGINAL TIRES FROM DEALERSHIP

Mileage: 29,084

20201002POWER TRAIN

2020 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NEEDING TRANSMISSION REPAIR AFTER VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AXEL RODS, RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED, STEERING ISSUES,. REAR WHEEL ISSUES, AND BUMPER REPLACEMENT. *JS

20201002STRUCTURE

2020 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NEEDING TRANSMISSION REPAIR AFTER VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AXEL RODS, RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED, STEERING ISSUES,. REAR WHEEL ISSUES, AND BUMPER REPLACEMENT. *JS

20201002WHEELS

2020 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NEEDING TRANSMISSION REPAIR AFTER VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AXEL RODS, RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED, STEERING ISSUES,. REAR WHEEL ISSUES, AND BUMPER REPLACEMENT. *JS

Compare 2020TOYOTAPRIUS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS have?
The 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS has 23 NHTSA complaints, 13 crashes, 0 fires, 13 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS?
The 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS?
The most-complained component for the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 TOYOTA PRIUS has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.