Used 2011 Toyota Prius Hatchback Consumer Reviews

Pleasantly Surprised...

I drive and still own my Dodge Charger, but the V8 with a Hemi, sucks the gas down..So,We bought this car to help with the rising prices of gas, and to save some money in the long run, and we love it, This car has a lot of get up and go, we have no trouble pulling out or picking up speed, It is so quiet, that sometimes you wonder if it is running, my three daughters fit in the back seat with no problem and one is in a car seat..We have a couple of hills that we have to go over everyday and the Prius has no problem going over them..So far we are well pleased with this little car, its doing everything it says it can...

does what it says it can do

Vehicle was purchased mainly for fuel economy given my long daily commute. Delivered 48 mgp as measured at the pump on first tank. Driving style and accessory use make a significant diffrence in mpg. I was driving moderately with minimal use of heat, AC or lights. Toyota has listened to various on line postings and seems to have corrected every minor thing that was wrong with the 2010 model. Brakes work perfectly with no lag when going over bumps or pot holes in road. There is no delay as many had claimed for 2010 version. The radio gets good reception in all bands now. Glad I waited for 2011, I never purchase a new model the first year of launch.

My 1st Hybrid

Excellent build quality, but I was expecting that as a long time Toyota buyer. The Prius is comfortable, quiet at highway speeds and easy to drive. I commute 100 miles round trip every day. In the early morning, it is a highway drive, in the afternoon it is 1/2 bumper to bumper and 1/2 highway. This car does well in both. I am averaging 53mpgs after 3 tanks of gas. If I drive at 60mph on the highway, I can get 56mpgs. The car is very roomy with a large cargo area

Smooth

I read and heard alot about the prius mainly negative. The wife and i took a test drive and bought on the spot. It is quiet smooth and feels sturdy. The gas milage is heaven espicially with rising prices. Quite a techno machine but if two regular people over 50 can figure the car out anyone can.

New 2011 Prius owner

I bought a 2011 Prius 3 3 weeks ago and I love it. I wanted to post here for others that might be looking and save a step. I bought the Prius because of my 150 mile daily commute and had prevoiusly owned a FORESTER. As much as the Forester is a great car I was avg 24 miles and filling up 3 times a week. The Prius is great to drive, comfortable for a 6 ft person, great gas mileage.. the car is easier to get into than the Forester, seats are firmer than the forester.. Anyway, I looked at the new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and it does not compare..main reason besides gas is the trunk- the battery takes up so much space that you only have 10 sq ft of space- you cant put anything in there.

10K and rolling! 30K Annualized.

Overall 49 mpg. Oddly, the 48-51 EPA is backwards from my actual experience. I get around 45 in town and 52-56 on the road. Also, the onboard trip computer is approximately 5% high consistently. Otherwise, subtract 2mpg from the computer reading and you have the more correct mpg. Very comfortable on trips. Totally pleased with my car.

3 Options That You Will learn To Love...

Eco , EV & Pwr... Having owned a 09 Prius before we purchased the new 11 model I really like the 3 driving modes offered in the current offering. The older Prius offered great MPG and was confortable but you had to live with the girl you brought to the dance...No longer. All 3 driving modes serve a purpose and heres how I use them: PWR- Sitting at a light and really need that extra umph? PWR mode makes the dash info bar light up and will suprise you (and the car next to you) as you are launched forward with full battery/gas power with very little peddle effort...One of the features I like the MOST about the new Prius. EV- Parking lots? Low speed situations A+ Eco- Max MPG Period 50+

best car ever

I have always driven a truck or SUV, so I was a little afraid to get a car. With the gas prices so high now, I wanted to get something that was good on gas, and still had plenty of leg room. The Toyota Prius is the best choice. This car is super. It has plenty of room in it, so you do not get the feeling like you are driving a compact car, the gas mileage is unbelievable, and the price is outstanding. This is my first Toyota and I am very pleased. If you are looking for a smooth riding car with lots of room, an excellent price and gets great gas mileage, then the Toyota Prius is the way to go.

Great mpg and comfort for the long commutes

Purchased one because of a 150 mile daily commute to and from work. Exceptional gas mileage averaging at 52 mpg on mixed highway traffic (I-5 & 118). I am pleased with our decision and it was definitely worth the savings over driving my Z3 daily.

worth every penny

We purchased a Prius C back in 2013 and was VERY surprised. It tells you how many MPG you are getting and how much you spent... when you fill up it will ask you how much you paid per gallon and all you do is punch it in. I tested the accuracy after the end of the day and much to my surprise it was dead on or less. We get 55 to 67 MPG unless it is raining, windy or you drive too fast then it 45-47 MPG but I don't need to drive 70 MPH Because of how happy I was with the Prius C I went out and purchased a Prius III and it is sweet! Much bigger lots of room, leather, fully loaded, 8 speaker sound system, etc. but I only get 50-55 MPG. It is very quiet in the city and highway. No regrets

Owned nearly 2 yrs. +'s & -'s

It's a great car for what it is. I've put close to 40,000 miles on mine. Would I buy one again? Maybe. The car is noisy, and the Good Year tires are ill handling, and contribute to a lot of said noise. I just replaced mine with non LRR Michelin Primacys. The car rides much better and feels more secure on wet roads. My mileage only fell by 2-3mpg. I average anywhere from 38-45. No complaints there. I haven't had to have anything else done, aside from oil changes. Toyota recommends every 10,000. I'm not willing to go that long. I do between 4 and 6k with Toyota filters and Mobil 0W-20. I find it the cheapest at Wal Mart.

I love my Prius!

I leased my Prius new in 2011. I really loved the car. The gas mileage is great of course but so is the overall design. The radio, the interior, the electronics, the acceleration and quality. The only real complaint I have besides being run off the road on a regular basis would be the seat covering. I cannot understand why Toyota used a white crushed velour material to cover the interior with. I think I stained it on day two. Otherwise the car is a real feat of engineering. I put almost 50,000 miles on it without so much as a hiccup. Regular oil changes and routine maintenance was all it required. With the rear seats down I find the car can haul a great deal of things. I have had a hundred feet of 10' long conduit ( protect the dashboard!) I have had several hundred pounds of raw materials and other construction equipment in it without a problem. It's pretty comfortable on a long haul as well. Now that my lease is up, I will buy one.

Solid performer

Very economical, ecological, spacious car. Definitely a trade-off in the "fun to drive" category, but it does what it was built to do very well.

2011 Prius Level 5 with all the electronics

This vehicle is excellent overall. The ride is good and the noise level is good (not as good as the Lexus RX 350 but still good for its class.). Gas mileage is about 44 to 45 most of the time in the Florida traffic. The level 5 in Barcelona red and the level 5 wheels make an excellent package. I would buy this vehicle again. The new Prius is not nearly as good looking as the old body style. I have not had any trouble at all with the mechanics, and the vehicle has only been in for 3 oil changes, one every 10K. The oil is synthetic and cost about 60.00 bucks each time at the dealership. I think besides that I replaced the air conditioner filter also on the dealers recommendations. I just purchased a new set of Michelin All Season tires at 30000 miles. The headlights (led I think) on this vehicle are excellent. They were just rated best of all vehicles. They are bright white at night and really light up the road. Toyota / Lexus make fine vehicles with excellent reliability.

Bought Prius due to high gas prices, very happy!

The hybrid system has a few quirks to it, and takes a little time to acclimate to them. However, it is a very comfortable car for the money (I bought the Prius 2 trim level for $23,520). I have been very happy with fuel economy as well as performance. I am up to 69,000 miles and have only had to do regular maintenance and replace the tires. No other repairs! Oil changes are expensive due to the synthetic oil, but I only have to have them done every 10,000 miles since I am not in a dirty environment nor fit the severe duty definition. If I compare that to 3,000 mile oil changes with regular oil, it is about the same cost, so I save by having to take it in less often. Update, I have since replaced this car with a 2015 Prius 2. This car was a rental for its first 37,600 miles. Even though newer and fewer miles, it makes more body noises (creaks, groans, rattles, wind noise) than the old one. I attribute that to the abuse that rental cars obviously get. I also suspect it got poor maintenance, as the tires were worn unevenly, it needed an alignment, and the oil was fairly brown and showed a little color after the oil change. The 2011 with 74,000 miles still has clean oil when the oil has 10,000 miles on it. Caring for a car saves money in the long run, I expect that Prius to go well over 200,000 miles since it has no problems at all at 74k. I sold it for $10,000 which is the blue book value. My 4 year newer replacement, with only 37,600 miles was only $15,350 but having been a rental it has tons of small scratches and dents, as well as a few rattles, etc. The plus of that is I don't get upset if a new scratch shows up. I will still recommend (I bought another Prius). Update August 2017: 2011 still on second set of tires at 82,000 miles, no other problems! 2015 Prius now up to 62,000 miles and is now on 2nd set of tires, no issues. Update February 2019: 2011 now has new tires and 87,000 miles (bought 2 sets of tires after original worn). Nothing else. 2015 still no problems at 78,000 miles.

Beating MPG Estimates

I'm averaging 51-52mpg on every tank, and this is on a relatively new Prius. I've heard that it increases after the hybrid system has several thousand miles to break in. I'd highly recommend a 10 minute YouTube video on how to maximize Prius mileage, instead of reading hours worth of blogs. It's called Prius 2010 MAX MPG Secrets by Yavor54. For highway drivers, there is a huge drop in MPG as your average speed goes from 55mpg to 70mph. If not in a huge rush, you'll get much better MPG slowing down a bit. Check EZ-Pass regulations, or state benefits of having a "Green" car. You may get access to HOV lanes even when driving alone, or get discounted bridge tolls during off-peak times.

Awful road noise makes otherwise good car unbearable

Yes, claims of 50+ mpg are true. In summer in Wisconsin I find myself getting 49 to 54mpg with each fill up without trying. The car is also functionally practical and the rear hatch is nice. All of this is countered by the fact that this car does seemingly nothing to insulate/dampen road noise. Quite literally, you will hear your tires going over ever pebble composing the blacktop pavement underneath you. In the 1998 Civic I used to drive, road noise was very noticeable above 55 mph. In the Prius, it is noticeable quite literally at 15mph and above. Trips of 1 hour or more at 55mph+ on anything but a freshly paved blacktop road will leave you feeling partially deaf.

Never thought I'd get one...

Honestly, I've had over 70+ vehicles since I was 16 years old and never thought I'd get a Prius of all things! Leased it for work and already its paying for itself. Pay half at the pump and going twice as far. At the gas station is where this car makes the most sense. I also realize why Prius drivers are so annoying to be behind.. its because they are trying to keep in ECO mode all the time! I just drive it like a regular car and I'm still getting 44 mpg with mixed driving. I am 6'2" and 238 lbs., so the seat was not made for me. I had to go to an upholstery shop to build up the seat bottom foam and side bolsters. Much much better afterward and no more neck pain. Crummy seats, but great car.

Awesome car, if you like rattles

I love my Prius for many reasons, The back seat has a ton of room, I get between 40 -46 MPG depdning on weather and it is a really fun car to drive in. I call it my "space ship car". The downside is the rattles! I know it is not a luxury car but i think that Toyota can do a much better job preventing these rattles. I am not sure I would have bought this car if I had known about this issue. It does NOT get 48 mpg either. It gets about 40 in wet and up to 46 in dry weather. That is city/mixed driving in rush hour traffic. I think the dash board lay out can use some improvement as well. After driving for a couple of years, I still find myself searching for buttons

Skeptic but won over

I purchased a new 2011 Prius as they were clearing them out for the new year and have had it for a few months now. Having gone from a 2000 Toyota Echo I am amazed that even having a fuel efficient car before, this one is phenomenal. I started to nerd out watching what powers what on the dashboard screen and naturally am becoming a smooth driver. With the smart key I never take my keys out. The car will beep at you often until you get used to it's 'logic'. The inside is not the most luxurious but I could only afford the minimal options. I am very proud to own this car.

only my bicycle beats the fuel mileage

if you like great fuel mileage, comfortable seating on premium leather with seat heaters, a moonroof, and wonderful stereo tunes then this is the vehicle for you. the performance is smooth and the ride is comfortable and amazingly quiet! hate going to the gas station? you won't with this vehicle, as you will only have to visit it once a month or so with the 50 mpg average.

Been very happy with this baby

Only auxiliary audio input, no USB. No bluetooth. I was disappointed with the Satellite radio interface built-in. The display does not scroll when content liek song tiel or artist exceed the display width. The digital FM interface does so even more disappointing. But aside from that it has given me great service for years.

Great value for a long lasting car

At 135000 miles still on original set of breaks, shock absorders, etc.

2011 Toyota Prius Two

I purchased my Prius new. I have 31,000 miles on the car. I have changed the oil and oil filter three times. No repairs at all. It gets 50 mpg, sometimes a little more. The seats are comfortable. It is 100% made in Japan. I think this car is of the highest quality. It certainly is made for Chicago city driving and the outrageous gas prices here. I would buy another one just like it. No regrets whatsoever in the purchase of this car.

Best hatchback on the market.

This is by far the best car of it's type on the market. It has a great ride, great handling, lots of room and helps reduce polution. Why would anyone pay the same amount of money and get a car with far less milage? Adds that say a non hybreed gets 40 MPG are lying. Real world drving milage is way less for a non hybreed. The Prius gets great milage even around town!

The most amazing car I have ever owned!

I bought the 2011 model II Prius this January and each day I love it a little more. Perhaps the on-board computer is a bit enthusiastic but I average between 53 and 56 MPG(!) The car attracts a LOT of attention because I'm constantly being quizzed by family, friends, and associates. In parking lots complete strangers are very curious and interested. My first test ride hooked me. The car has been manufactured for going on 10 years now and the build quality seems first rate. The Prius is quiet, smooth and very refined. Is it a "big little car" or a "little big car?" It's ingenius the way it accommodates 4 people or cargo.

Prius V

Excellent vechicle, gas mileage is better than rating. Only negative is the back up video system, slow to come on, then part of the screen is blacked out to tell you what radio station you are tuned in to, location is by the radio, so you do not even look at it, since you look in the mirror when backing up.

Practically, the best value!

The gas mileage is as advertised: it is extraordinary.

Prius #2

Prius has a greate repair record and is reliable. This is my second Prius and both of them were good investments

lowest cost of ownership vehicle for me

Purchase was purely a economic decision for me without much emotion. Extensive economic analysis with detailed spreadsheets yielded the Prius II as the most economic choice for my 70 mile daily commute consisting of 60% city 40% highway. Factored in were resale values which indicate lower depreciation than reported for Gen 3, significant improvements in reliability over 2010 model and long term increase in gasoline price at 10% / year. Also in consideration was the 10 year battery performance check done by Consumer Reports which indicated the NiMH battery showed no measurable degradation in 10 years and 200K. I think newer Li battery technology will take several years to mature and match

A spacious, economical, reliable family car.

The fabric upholstery for this model was rather low quality.

Great MPG bad build quality

Now with 5000 miles on my Prius it has been in the shop more than our old Audi. This is all due in part to a nasty dash rattle that started after the first 750 miles. The dealer is perplexed, they cant fix it. Engineers from Toyota have been flown in and they cant fix it. Nobody understands the constant noises it makes. Toyota has offered no option for buyback and shunned the idea when I proposed it. I know its an economy car but this rattle is just poor build quality. The navigation system incorrectly locates my position in the city. I have to stop the car and turn it off to reboot the system. The car averages 49-54 mpg's constantly. The paint is flawless and the best Ive seen.

Never liked it much selling next month

Will be selling on craigslist next month. Good riddance. Reliable, yes, satisfying and fun to drive? NO. Yes this car has convenience features like push button start and smart entry and it gets over 50 MPG IF you go far enough that engine warms up (over 10 miles). Short trips like 2 to 5 miles, 30 to 40 MPG. It's easy to use and engine off whenever possible makes for quietness, no vibration when stopped. But, I have never like this car very much and shouldn't have bought it: Toyota added the height adjustable driver seat in 2010 model, but it doesn't lower down very much. I'm 6'2" tall so the headroom not so good unless I lean back extra far, then steering wheel unreachable. Maddening. Sort of minivan seating, but it's a sedan, confused car. Drive is not so impressive: tepid acceleration if need to really get going and the engine wails. Bumps get through into cabin easily. Not very quiet on rougher freeway, if very smooth road, noise is ok. It's a boring to drive car: steering is video game light, little feedback. Lots of body roll in turns and not much tire grip. Corners weirdly. Interior design is sorta lame: slide armrest back to reveal 2nd cupholder, then my armrest is gone which btw is way too low because the seat doesn't lower enough. floating bridge console takes up extra space, does nothing. Hard, easily scratchable plastics all over dash and door panels. Radio replaced under warranty after about 1 1/2 years. I remove the ugly plastic wheelcovers before service cause they cracked one and that's a pita: have to move car to line up slots to pry off wheelcover. Hypermiling? You mean going slow and coasting? How boring. And it's sorta ugly and odd looking. No passenger has ever gotten in the car and been impressed, not a one.

Love it!

Have had my Prius for one week.Took awhile to get used to, coming from an "09 Pontiac. Fun to drive, almost no road noise, very comfortable seats. More room than I expected and the standard sound system is quite good.

I haven't saved that much on gas

I have owned the car for a little over 3 years and have 70,000 miles on it. This summer the ac stopped working. Took it to my mechanic who indicated it was either an electrical problem or a computer problem and that it needed to go to the dealership for repair. The dealer indicated the condenser assy and compressor need to be replaced at a cost of $3,800. This Prius hasn't been what is advertised

The only problem is...

I dislike the environmental controls- they don't allow for recycled air in defrost mode; often, one is stuck behind a belching diesel. Also, I don't like the very dim dashboard monitor when the headlights are turned on; sometimes, the law requires them on when it is fairly bright outside.

Great Car

Driving a Prius for the last 8 years. Its great for fuel economy and maintenance. I highly recommend it.

Too many little problems

Bought a new standard 2011 Prius in 2011. was very happy with the dealer. Picked Prius cause 100% Japanese made. Gas milage is excellent, interior room is comfortable as known. The model that I bought; - Can't open the trunk from inside - Row down the windows will not wipe the fog away - Break pedal make squee sound when press - Radio display black out once in a while - The BIGGEST jok of all is the spoiler melted! Beware, don't park you car with plastic spoiler near a building that has reflection windows! Who knows??!! Was told by SF Region that this is not defect, I am hold half of the responsiblity. I wrote complaint to Toyota headquarter in Houston TX, will see what happen.

WOW!!!

Just got into a prius 5. I was a honda person for many years up until recently whle dealign with quality issues that I just could not work through. I wa considering a Mazda5 but gas prices suddenly jumped up and this became the more responisble purchase. It's smaller than I'm used to but it wil get the job done.

54 MPG ON HIGHWAY

Have had more than 40 vehicle and I can say this vehicle is worth the price espicially with the gas prices. Good power for the average driving. Seats are comfortable and plenty of leg and head room. I can say it is worth the money and your time to drive one.

Best car I have ever owned!

Sips gas.

This hatch back holds excellent amount of cargo for the size of the car. Excellent mileage and reliability. Fill gas so rarely often forget. Wish it had better visibility, and more drink holders.

TRY A pRIUS - YOU'LL BE SUPRISED

The cargo area (especially with rear seats folded) is very roomy - I have moved a twin bed and sheets of particle board. The rear seat head and leg room is great for a vehicle this size. You will need to spring for fully synthetic oil changes (but not as often), new tires and headlamps - otherwise no maintenance costs and low fuel costs. Extremely reliable and economical. All around great value!

Prius

Excellent city car.

Very low cost to own

The Prius is a very low cost low maintenance car. It's not sporty or fast to drive but it's economical and dependable. I have owned 2 and put over 100,000 miles on both. If the new design wasn't so ugly (in my opinion) I would probably have purchased a 3rd Prius. Knowing how long between new designs, I'm probably getting a Tesla model 3 for my next car.

Prius does what Prius do.

At 185k with regular oil change and maintenance with no issues at all.

The best

The best in every aspect

Fun to drive frugally

We traded our 03 Lexus 300 for this new 2011 Prius IV on 2/12/11. I carefilly compared fuel used and miles driven on the first 3 gas fill-ups and found the trip meter indicated about 2 mpg more then it should be. Average milage was 48 MPG during the cold temps and engine break-in. Now we have over 4,000 miles on it and we consistently get over 50 mpg. On a recent short trip of 71 miles, our Prius showed 59.3 MPG. This was driving with other traffic and not upsetting other drivers by trying to be thrifty. I did learn how to increase the MPG from various blogs and related websites. It is not a Lexus but suprisingly my wife and I forget the difference while driving this vehicle. Very pleased!

Great fuel efficient Car!

My dad traded in his Sienna for the prius cuz he was spending $400 ~ $450 per month on gas, which is equivalent of making monthly payment on a new car, so he decided to get the best fuel efficient car - the Prius! After the purchase, we went to Penn, 189mile one way, on a full tank, and on our way back, we filled it up again, so all in all, we spent $37 for a 378 mile trip! Amazing! It's only been less than a week we had the car, but it's def worth the purchase! I would recommend anyone looking to purchase a car to buy Prius!

A (Quiet) Joy to Drive

Although I had read reviews suggesting the Prius was like driving a wet blanket (something that almost kept me from buying it), I've found myself looking forward to the chance to just get in and drive somewhere. My wife and I bought this car to take on long trips to replace our XTerra and as a commuter car for me. There's almost no road noise. In fact, when we first drove it, I mistook the fan for that because it is so quiet. The engine handles the steep hills in our area with no trouble. You may find the price a bit steep, but the more gas goes up, the better the deal the car is.