G3 - Things to know, info about trim levels, etc.

Sorry to hear about your wreck, glad you made it okay.

The 4th generation models (2016+) have shown significantly fewer expensive problems than the 3rd generation models.

If you want something for a long haul, stick to 2016+.

 

you could look around for a lower mile 2009 if you liked gen 2. much more reliable than gen 3 if you can find one.
2015 gen 3 might be an option. it got updated pistons and rings. you'd still need to keep an eye on the egr clogging, and the problematic brake actuator would have another year or two warranty.

the biggest problem with early gen 4 is a potential leaking exhaust heat exchanger. if you don't keep an eye on the coolant level, it could overheat and blow the head gasket. you could head that off by swapping in a new one if it hasn't already been done.
one concern would be somebody selling one with a blown head gasket and stop leak put in which hides the issue and ends up gumming up the whole coolant system.
other minor issues are whacky infotainment screens and cracking windshields. those have probably all been replaced though.

 

Yeah the 2016 plus much more reliable than the other generation 3 just realize the generation 4 the 2016 Plus is still using the 2ZZ Atkinson cycle engine with a few sleeves and a few add-ons so we won't really know I don't think what's going on with that for a few more minutes it's been out 4 years now or something most people haven't had enough time to get to 150,000 mi although some probably have personally I wouldn't trust the two ZZ Atkinson they haven't changed much of anything they've added some add-ons and in the two liter they're using a detuned A engine for the latest 2023 or whatever it is and that engine's been a failure in the Camry I certainly don't want it in my Prius so that puts those out of the loop at least for 5 years for me to see what happens with those when these Prius with the new 2 l A engine start winding up parked all over the place with engines that are no count well we'll know that the A engine didn't need to be put in the Prius. You will not do better than the 2009 now if you have a good job and making plenty of money and all of that and you want to spend on a 2016 to a 2020 some odd Prius go for it just realize the interior and nonsense is not going to hold up any kind of way You will be lucky to make anywhere near the mileage looking anywhere near as good as the generation 2 you had if it was in fairly good shape so you find a 2009 with leather loaded as best you can find and none of those newer Prius will hold the candle to that none and if somebody's making one able to hold the candle to the 2009 they're spending money to do it You better believe it those white and light silver color coordinated interiors look like absolute h a l e in about 2 years Go look at a Tesla with white and black or white and brown leather or whatever interior two years on those things in there starting to look ugly and then the pieces start falling off armrest cave in and whatever I just don't like all that little nonsense that nickel and dimes you to death if you want to try and keep it up and then with like the door panels on the generation 3 You can't even buy them they're $300 a pop if you can find them anywhere and then they won't have your color and this and that and getting them is going to take forever if it can be done at all blah blah blah Gen 3 not a happening thing at all I am glad to be almost rid of mine It has spent more time sitting out here than it has on the road it's just been an eyesore.

 

I agree. Toyota lost a lot of Prius sales by making the 4th generation so homely. Which was too bad, because it solved most of the worst defects of the 3rd generation, and was equal or better in nearly every other respect. The leaky heat exchanger Bisco mentioned can be bypassed cheaply, IF you catch it before it ruins the engine.

 

By 2020 models that was fixed by a design change. Of course, nearly any one could have the problem if coolant changes are ignored or only done on mileage or time intervals instead of actual cooling condition.