Ranked #86 car in the UK · Hatchback · 8,183 units sold last year

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius defined the modern hybrid, so the used market is full of dependable older (gen 3/4) hybrids - hugely popular with private-hire drivers for reliability and economy. The latest (2023 on) Prius is a sleek, plug-in-hybrid-focused car. Cross-shop the used Prius against hybrids like the Corolla and Honda Civic; the new PHEV against plug-in rivals.

How these figures are sourced the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

Toyota Prius
Photo: Harvey Bold via Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · source
Body
Hatchback
Years
2018–2026
Fuel
Hybrid / Plug-in Hybrid
Economy
40 mpg

combined

Insurance
Group 15

The short version

73/100

Forecourt score

Value 82 · Reliability 63 · catalogue percentiles

The Toyota Prius holds its value well. Its MOT-based reliability is excellent — an MOT score of 80/100, ahead of 53% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 82% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Plug-in Hybrid · 1987cc

Power

223 ps

Drivetrain

FWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

40 mpg

Entry Mk5 Prius. 2.0L PHEV, 223 PS combined, 13.6 kWh battery, 53mi WLTP electric range. Design includes 17-inch wheels, smart entry, full LED. 8-9% BIK for fleets. The Prius that finally looks desirable.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
44,172 mi
0Expected: 44,172180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£25,500

Range £21,550£29,700

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £38,000Age-based value£25,342Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£9Market calibration+£1,749Forecourt price£27,100Private sale£23,900Part-exchange£21,000
Buythis 3-year-old

Past the steep drop — most of the depreciation is behind it.

At 44,172 miles it’s about the ~49,548 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

£

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Toyota Prius loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 44,172 miles you entered above — worth about £25,500 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 14,724 miles a year.

5-year total

£22,636

Per year

£4,527

All-in per mile

£0.31

Fuel per mile

15.1p

If a company carAround £367/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£183/mo at 20%) — 25% band

Depreciation£5,708
Fuel / energy£11,148
Servicing£1,765
Road tax£1,000
Insurance£3,015

If you're a company-car driver

At 25% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £367/month in company-car tax (£183/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 5 years

A 5-year-old example loses roughly £950 a year — 81% less than the £4,950 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 82%
Reliabilitybetter than 63%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

Mk5 PHEV (current)

First desirable Prius. 53mi WLTP range is strong, 8% BIK makes the fleet case. But boot is small and rear seats compromised by the coupe roof. Better-looking than a Golf eHybrid; less practical.

New price
circa £39,000
Annual fuel / energy
£950
3-yr depreciation
45%

Watch for

  • ·3.3 kW AC charging only — slowest in class
  • ·Boot very small (compromised by battery)
  • ·Rear headroom limited by sloping roofline

Mk4 Hybrid (used)

The boring-but-correct Prius. Bulletproof reliability, 65+ mpg achievable, low running costs. Ex-taxi market means high-mileage examples cheap — check history carefully but they often have plenty of life left.

New price
circa £25,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,100
3-yr depreciation
45%

Watch for

  • ·Older infotainment dated by 2024 standards
  • ·Some examples with high mileage (ex-taxi)
  • ·Inverter coolant pump fails on early Mk4 (campaign-fixed)

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 15 of 50 (low — cheaper end of the scale) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£603/ year

Roughly £50 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£1,375£1,719£2,234
Age 26-32£718£844£1,030
Age 33-39Selected£531£603£712
Age 40-49£450£500£581
Age 50+£402£446£527

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

14,724 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 14,72430,000

Routine service

£185

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£210

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£710

40 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£603

Age 33-39, group 15

Clean-air zones

ULEZ compliant
  • Plug-in Hybrid, Hybrid variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£1,908 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£80

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£240

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£520

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£900

per year · high risk

Tyres

195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

OptionNew costAdded used valueReturn

Tow bar (factory-fit)

Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.

£650£45069%

Parking sensors & reversing camera

Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.

£500£30060%

Heated seats / cold-weather pack

£450£20044%

Metallic or premium paint

Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.

£600£20033%

Panoramic / opening roof

£1,100£35032%

Larger alloy wheels

£700£20029%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 44,172 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500low severityParts high

Recorded in 4.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.0% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 3.2% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450low severityParts high

Recorded in 4.0% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Identification & otherUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £20-£150low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 2,053,492 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 2,097,307 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

A 3-year-old Prius passes its MOT 87.2% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 67.2%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

94%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 11,465 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

93%95%98%100%20182022

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every Prius with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 160,204 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

  • Hybrid 78.0%
  • Electric 10.3%
  • Other 6.5%
  • Petrol 5.2%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a Prius registered 2020–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 12,109 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

  • Tyres & wheels3.4%
  • Driver's view1.1%
  • Lighting & signalling1.0%
  • Brakes0.9%
  • Suspension0.5%
  • Identification & other0.4%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a Prius at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

  • 3 yr49,548
  • 4 yr63,494
  • 5 yr77,127
  • 6 yr91,382
  • 7 yr107,264
  • 8 yr122,520
  • 9 yr138,757
  • 10 yr150,641
  • 11 yr147,530
  • 12 yr150,236
  • 13 yr155,537
  • 14 yr159,420

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

80/ 100

Excellent

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2020 onward (12,109 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

86%first-time pass rate

53rd percentileAbout catalogue average

Based on 197,227 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

0%50%90%

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

  • 01Older Prius hybrids are famously reliable, but many are ex-private-hire and very high-mileage - buy on history and battery health.
  • 02Hybrid battery longevity is excellent; an independent battery health check is worthwhile on high-mileage cars.
  • 03The latest plug-in Prius is a different, sharper-looking PHEV - it needs regular charging to make sense.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Toyota Prius, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

The Toyota Prius is the UK's single most-targeted car for catalytic-converter theft (UK 2025 data). Keyless entry on later cars makes relay theft the usual method.

Parts theft

Higher

Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.
  • A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Toyota Prius into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
GlasgowCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
EdinburghCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
AberdeenCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
DundeeCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • BathCity centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • BradfordOuter ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • SheffieldInside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & GatesheadCity centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • PortsmouthPart of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Toyota Prius as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 99 g/km and a WLTP electric range of 48 miles, using £44,000 as the P11D value.

Tax yearBIK %Tax @ 20%Tax @ 40%Monthly @ 20%Monthly @ 40%
2025-2624%£2,112£4,224£176£352
2026-2725%£2,200£4,400£183£367
2027-2826%£2,288£4,576£191£381
2028-2926%£2,288£4,576£191£381
2029-3026%£2,288£4,576£191£381

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Toyota is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~180

Large network

Mass-market

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Toyota is 4% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,300 mm

Width

1,790 mm

Height

1,460 mm

Kerb weight

1,350 kg

Boot

380–1,250 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

How the UK Toyota Prius fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Currently registered

130,021

Currently taxed & on road

125,228

96% of all registered

SORN (off road)

4,793

4% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

n/a

not in this DfT extract

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

+4% vs 2024
63,119125,228

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 29 Jul 2026

Same underpinnings

Built on the Toyota TNGA-C platform

TNGA platform for compact cars. Lower centre of gravity, stiffer chassis. Introduced with current Prius/Corolla. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Toyota New Global Architecture (C-segment) · Toyota

Common questions

Toyota Prius, answered from the data

Is the Toyota Prius reliable?
The Toyota Prius scores 80/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 53% of the cars we track. That is computed from 2,097,307 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used Toyota Prius cost?
A 2023 Toyota Prius with around 44,172 miles is worth roughly £25,500 today (typical range £23,000–£27,950). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Toyota Prius depreciate?
A new Toyota Prius typically loses about 33% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Toyota Prius?
The Toyota Prius sits in insurance group 15 of 50 — the cheaper end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Toyota Prius?
The most common age-related issues we track for the Toyota Prius are: tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); lighting & signalling (typically around over 100k miles, £15-£120 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Toyota Prius cost to run?
Expect around 40 mpg combined on the Plug-in Design, £200 a year in road tax, about £185 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the Toyota Prius ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol Toyota Priuss from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
How many Toyota Priuss are on UK roads?
About 125,228 Toyota Priuss are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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