ToyotaPrius C2020Overview/toyota/prius-c/2020/base/

2020 Toyota Prius C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Prius C.

Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2020 Toyota Prius C pairs an automatic transmission with variable gear ratios to EPA-rated fuel economy of 48/43/46 mpg. Reliability data for this model year records only 14 total owner complaints—clustered in the “Unknown Or Other” category—and zero recalls. Against the model’s 20132019 complaint history, which peaked at 403 grievances in 2013 and fell to just six by 2018, the 2020 model’s tally of 14 complaints and zero recalls represents a sustained low-friction state, suggesting the vehicle represents the most stable phase of the model’s production run.

Model year202120202019201820172016201520142013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy48/43/46 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length157.5 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase100.4 in
Curb weight2496 lb
Track (front / rear)57.1 / 56.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined48 / 43 / 46 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Prius C's federal record across this generation shows a dramatic and consistent downward arc: complaints fell from 403 in 2013 to zero by 2019, recalls declined from three to one, investigations from two to one, and TSBs dropped from 550 to 106 — a classic maturation curve where early-production issues were progressively engineered out. The 2020 model year sits at the tail end of this arc, registering just six complaints across areas including Unknown or Other (2), Tires (2), Service Brakes (1), and Air Bags/Forward Collision Avoidance (1), with six crash complaints and zero fire complaints; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. Notably, all six 2020 complaints involve crashes, which is a higher crash-to-total ratio than the low-complaint years immediately preceding it (2018 had six complaints, 2019 had zero), though the absolute volume remains minimal. The absence of 2020 recall, investigation, and TSB counts in the provided record limits a full comparison, but the trajectory through 2019 suggests Toyota had largely resolved the generation's systemic issues by this point. For a used buyer, the 2020 represents the most refined product of this generation's lifecycle and is a sound choice, provided the low-volume crash complaints are reviewed on the vehicle history report for any specific unit under consideration.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
145
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
14
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 14 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other2
Tires2
Unknown Or Other,Service Brakes1
Air Bags,Unknown Or Other,Forward Collision Avoidance1
Back Over Prevention1
Electrical System,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Service Brakes,Unknown Or Other1
Vehicle Speed Control,Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 145 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0106-22 Rev22026-01-30Electrical SystemOBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
T-SB-0001-262026-01-28Electrical SystemSome 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev22026-01-07Unknown Or OtherSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
T-TT-0784-25 Rev12025-06-17EngineSome ECUs can set a DTC that is common with other ECUs. This can lead to accidental use…
T-SB-0058-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Prius C. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2020 Prius C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Prius C get?

EPA figures are 48 city / 43 highway / 46 combined mpg.