2008 Toyota Prius vs 2008 Volkswagen Passat
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 | 2008 Toyota Prius | 2008 Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,497 | 168 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 4 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 222 | 621 |
| Investigations | 2 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 152 | 3 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 6 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 46 | 20–24 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 55,000 mi | 90,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Toyota Prius | Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 579 | 3 |
| Electrical System | 235 | 21 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 171 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 156 | 4 |
| Service Brakes | 145 | 4 |
| Engine | 49 | 43 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 77 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 41 | 32 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Brake problems | 79 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 58 | 0 |
| Stalling | 51 | 21 |
| Check engine light | 10 | 16 |
| Electrical failures | 9 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 8 | 0 |
| Oil consumption | 8 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 7 | 7 |
2008 Toyota Prius
2008 Volkswagen Passat
Compare all Toyota Prius vs Volkswagen Passat 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.