2003 Toyota Corolla vs 2003 Toyota Prius
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2003 Toyota Corolla | 2003 Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 720 | 99 |
| Recall campaigns | 9 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 153 | 133 |
| Investigations | 4 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 101 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 9 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 28–31 | 41 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 90,000 mi | 75,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Toyota Corolla | Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 332 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 92 | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 77 | 5 |
| Power Train | 61 | 5 |
| Electrical System | 34 | 13 |
| Steering | 8 | 39 |
| Seat Belts | 38 | 1 |
| Structure | 31 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Airbag warning light | 36 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 22 | 0 |
| Stalling | 21 | 10 |
| Hesitation / surging | 20 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 11 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 7 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 7 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 5 | 20 |
2003 Toyota Corolla
2003 Toyota Prius
Compare all Toyota Corolla vs Toyota Prius years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.