How much does the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime cost?

Prices have softened 1.23% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 266 listings available, which suggests you have some room to compare prices and condition across the market.

If you find a listing below $20,929.29, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime a good car?

Yes — the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime earns a 5/5 user rating and a 6.5/10 expert rating. The model scores 8/10 across Form and function and Safety.

The data points to a car that works best if you value packaging, efficiency, and standard equipment. It offers an impressive electric range, a strong list of standard features, and advanced safety tech, but the ownership experience is held back by a hard-to-use infotainment system and slow acceleration.

Trade-offs: the cabin design is polarizing, and the ergonomic layout can make everyday use less satisfying. The driving experience is also described as uninspired, so you should expect practicality and efficiency rather than excitement.

The market shows 29.3% of listings as good or great deals, which gives you a decent chance to find a competitive price.

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime reliable?

Owners rate it 5/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The overview frames this model as a Toyota built around hybrid know-how, and the expert notes reinforce that it delivers the efficiency and packaging shoppers expect from the nameplate. The performance write-up also points to a conventional plug-in hybrid setup with a gasoline engine, electric motor, and e-CVT, which is a familiar formula for used buyers.

Toyota also includes a warranty package that covers the hybrid battery and hybrid-related components for longer than the basic coverage, which can help reduce early ownership anxiety. For used buyers, the main long-term risk is less about mechanical novelty and more about living with the car’s dated cabin and usability compromises over time.

What should I look for when buying a used 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?

At 71.4% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if the car has been in a prior collision. Focus on body condition, panel alignment, and signs of repair quality, since accident history can affect both value and long-term satisfaction. It also makes sense to test the cabin controls carefully, because the infotainment and climate-control layout are a major part of the ownership experience.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The LE, XLE, and Limited trims share the same basic exterior treatment, but the interior changes mainly come through technology add-ons. The base trim is the one to watch if you want to avoid the more complicated touchscreen-heavy setup found higher up.
• Powertrain: You get a plug-in hybrid setup with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, plus an e-CVT. The car is front-wheel drive only, and the data notes that acceleration is modest even though it is quicker off the line than the traditional Prius.
• Safety package: Every version gets Toyota’s Star Safety System, plus automatic emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, road-sign assist, and Lane Tracing Assist automated lane centering.
• Infotainment: The standard screen is 7 inches, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, satellite radio, a WiFi hot spot, and three USB ports. An 11.6-inch touchscreen is available, along with a wireless smartphone charger and a 10-speaker JBL audio system.
• Fuel efficiency: It is rated at 133 MPGe in electric mode, with 55 mpg city, 53 mpg highway, and 54 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

Which 2021 Toyota Prius Prime trim should I buy?

The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime is offered in 3 trim levels: LE, XLE, Limited.

Here's the short version:

• LE: This is the trim to target if you want the simplest path into the Prius Prime’s efficiency, standard safety tech, and plug-in capability without paying for the more complicated cabin upgrades. It gives you the core value proposition and is the best-value choice for most shoppers.
• XLE: This trim adds more technology, but the data also shows that the larger touchscreen and touch-heavy controls make the cabin harder to use. Choose it only if the extra equipment matters more to you than simplicity.
• Limited: This is the most feature-rich version, but it follows the same basic interior layout and usability drawbacks as the XLE. It makes sense if you want the most equipment and are willing to live with the same ergonomic compromises.

Every trim comes with Toyota’s standard safety suite, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and Lane Tracing Assist.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully without expecting every listing to be a bargain.

• Deal availability: 29.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 266 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 1.23% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 71.4% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $20,929.29, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime's resale value?

The current average of $22,643 sits slightly below last year's $22,925.

That mild decline suggests the market has softened a bit, which can help you buy more confidently now. For a future seller, it also means you should expect resale value to depend heavily on condition, mileage, and accident history rather than on broad market momentum alone. Well-kept examples should still attract efficiency-focused shoppers, but the car’s dated cabin and polarizing design may limit how quickly some listings move.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 5/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime safe?

The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime earned a Good overall IIHS crashworthiness result, with an Acceptable rating in the small-overlap front-passenger side test. It also earned a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.

It earns a 8/10 safety score from our experts.

Toyota equips every version with its Star Safety System and a broad set of driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, road-sign assist, and Lane Tracing Assist automated lane centering. The main caveat is that the headlights were rated only Acceptable by IIHS, and the passenger-side small-overlap result is weaker than the rest of the crashworthiness results.

Should I buy a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2021 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2021 if:

• 29.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 71.4% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 1.23% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 5/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2021 stands out for its strong packaging, standard advanced safety features, and impressive electric range.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $22,994, the 2020 costs more than the current year's $22,643 average.
• It is framed as a strong efficiency-first choice with excellent value for money.

The bottom line: If you want the better current-market value, the 2021 is the cleaner pick because prices are softer and inventory is available. If you are extremely price-sensitive, the 2020 can still make sense, but the 2021 gives you the stronger combination of market conditions, standard equipment, and efficiency-focused appeal.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 28, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.