Toyota Prius (2016-2021) running costs, insurance, warranty & tax
The fourth-generation Toyota Prius offers exceedingly low running costs with a hybrid powertrain that maximises efficiency
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service intervals | Annual company-car cost (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13-14 | 5yrs / 100,000 miles | 1yr / 10,000 miles | From £1,112 / £2,224 |
As we’ve mentioned, there are many options to rival the Toyota Prius, but the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid matches it closest. When the Prius was available new, this was also true of the respective ranges’ pricing structures as well. While the Ioniq range starts at a cheaper point, there were more choices in the Prius line-up, with four trim levels to the Hyundai’s three.
Neither the discontinued standard Prius hybrid, nor the still-on-sale Prius Plug-In, are eligible for the plug-in car grant and neither gets free access to the London Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) any more, either.
But that shouldn’t put you off, as running costs are affordable. Based on our sister title Auto Express’ real-world fuel economy for the Prius, you should expect to spend just over £1,000 a year on fuel (based on an average of 12,000 miles a year). Even an efficient petrol supermini would cost you at least £500 a year more.
Toyota Prius insurance group
The Toyota Prius falls into insurance group 13 or 14, depending on spec. Of course, as with any car, what you’ll pay depends on your circumstances – factors like where you live, whether you have points on your licence and how much driving experience you have. However, to give an indication of how much you should expect to pay, our sample middle-aged driver with three points on their licence was quoted around £550 a year fully comprehensive.
Warranty
Most examples of the Prius will have been sold with a five-year/100,000-mile warranty, so there’s plenty of peace of mind for buyers. Toyota’s ‘Relax’ warranty policy, introduced in 2021, means cars serviced at a Toyota dealership can have their factory cover extended every 12 months, up to a maximum of 10 years/100,000 miles from their registration date.
Servicing
With around 200 Toyota dealers nationwide, it’ll be easy to get your Prius serviced – and we’d recommend you go to a main dealer, as being serviced by an official Toyota franchise preserves the extensive warranty cover on the hybrid system components and the battery pack. Service intervals are every year or 10,000 miles and alternate between interval and major services. Expect to pay around £169 for the former and £219 for the latter.
Road tax
Even a top-spec fully optioned Prius won’t be liable for the £335 VED (road tax) annual premium that applies to cars costing more than £40,000 new, so given the Toyota is an 'alternatively fuelled vehicle' in the eyes of the government, you’ll only pay £145 a year.
