UK owners now get upto 10 years/unlimited mileage HV battery warranty

If you're buying a 9 year old car you should always check what the warranty situation would be, if indeed any warranty applies. Toyota is probably the only car company in the UK offering any sort of warranty over 7 years. The details of warranty is clear on their website;

Toyota Insurance & Warranty | Toyota UK

They also offer UPTO 10 years and UPTO unlimited miles HV BATTERY warranty subject to terms and conditions. Again, these are summerised on their website. If you had had the car serviced with Toyota in the last year they should have done a Hybrid Battery Health Check and assuming it passed the testing first time it was done, they will extend the hv battery warranty by 10k miles and 12 months. Assuming you had this done, then you should be ok within the time and mileage limits. If you skimped on servicing or went elsewhere then no additional warranty applies.

Hybrid Cars Health Check | Toyota UK

 

No you are guessing wrong. Check out the links, especially the second link. It is not a full warranty, it is a HV battery ONLY warranty upto 11 years (or 10 years inclusive). There is also no upper mileage limit.

You MUST comply with the conditions such as having the car serviced at Toyota every 10k miles/12 months, or paying the £39 annual fee within the same limitations - 10k miles/12 months.

I believe it is a way of Toyota getting hybrid customers to use their dealers for servicing and also alleviating concerns of HV battery failure amongst second hand owners.

Whilst it's not a full warranty, it does add protection against HV battery failure. Using Toyota dealers is a very wise move with a Prius and also not as expensive as you may think. Many will price match (within reason).

 

To get the benefit of the warranty you need to have a test carried out. If the car fails the test, then no warranty. If it passes, then you get the 10k miles/12 month cover and then renew it after that. If it fails the second or third tests, then you are already covered. It's that first test that's the important one. I guess they don't want someone dragging a knackered car in and getting the warranty.

It doesn't matter if you're the first or fifth owner or what you use the car for (i think). If you have Toyota service history they may already have carried out the health check at last service. They can check and you might even be able to using this tool;

New Cars, Used Cars, Hybrid Cars, Small Cars | Toyota UK

You really need to have Toyota service the Prius or at the very least use 0w20 oil for best economy.