Tesla Model 3 vs Toyota Prius
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Tesla Model 3
- Total complaints
- 4,311
- Avg per model year
- 431
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 36
- Most complained year
- 2018 (1,020)
Top problems: Forward Collision Avoidance, Unknown / Other, Vehicle Speed Control
Toyota Prius
- Total complaints
- 12,435
- Avg per model year
- 463
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 35
- Most complained year
- 2010 (2,822)
Top problems: Exterior Lighting, Service Brakes, Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Complaints by model year
| Year | Tesla Model 3 | Toyota Prius | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21 | 5 | ||
| 2025 | 115 | 16 | ||
| 2024 | 216 | 24 | ||
| 2023 | 424 | 19 | ||
| 2022 | 764 | 24 | ||
| 2021 | 662 | 6 | ||
| 2020 | 451 | 14 | ||
| 2019 | 612 | 30 | ||
| 2018 | 1,020 | 36 | ||
| 2017 | 26 | 91 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.