Which year model of Prius is the best to buy used?

2016 Toyota Prius by Kārlis Dambrāns — CC BY 2.0

The Toyota Prius was designed to sip gas for a long time, which has made it a big hit among those who want to conserve their money – and the environment. The best way to accomplish both of those goals is not to buy a brand new car off the assembly line, but to purchase a pre-owned car. That way, you are minimizing your carbon footprint while also being a responsible consumer. The only question is, which model year is best for you? Luckily, CoPilot is here to help you figure that out.

How much are you saving buying a used Toyota Prius vs. new?

 

The best deal on a used Toyota Prius comes from the 2017 model year. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of a newer 2019 or 2020 Prius, but it does come with a bevy of important safety features, including blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and even automatic parking.

It also comes at a very reasonable price (almost $11,000 below MSRP on a new 2020 Prius) and has, on average, less than 50,000 miles on its engine. A Prius is a reliable car and a wise choice for your bank account and the environment, and the 2017 model is the best deal of them all.

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2015 [1] Toyota Prius: Used vs. New

Average Used Listing Price: $12,910

Average Used Mileage: 80,213

Savings vs. buying new: $15,866

The average 2015 Toyota Prius only costs $12,910 nowadays, which is well under half the price of a new 2020 Prius. You can expect to save $15,866 by purchasing a pre-owned 2015 Prius with an average of 80,213 miles on the odometer.

Newer Features the [2] 2015 Toyota Prius lacks

●               Apple CarPlay

●               Blind spot monitoring

●               Cross-traffic alert

●               Automatic parking

●               Wi-Fi hotspot

●               Heated steering wheel

Is buying a used 2015 Toyota Prius a good idea?

While the price is excellent on the 2015 model, you should consider the mileage and the safety features you would miss out on. A well-maintained Prius should run for 200,000 miles, so 80,000 shouldn’t be a big issue, but that does depend on how well the car was treated for those first 80,000 miles. Beyond that, the 2015 Prius does not have the options of blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alerts, and automatic parking.

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2016 Toyota Prius: Used vs. New

Average Used Listing Price: $15,798

Average Used Mileage: 65,175

Savings vs. buying new: $12,978

The 2016 Toyota Prius sells for $15,798 and has been driven an average of 65,175 miles. That’s a savings of $12,978 off the price of a new 2020.

Newer Features the 2016 Toyota Prius lacks

●               Apple CarPlay

●               Security system

●               Wi-Fi hotspot

●               Heated steering wheel

Is buying a used 2016 Toyota Prius a good idea?

For $3,000 more than a 2015 Prius, the 2016 offers a vastly improved safety suite, adding blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and automatic parking. It also has about 15,000 fewer miles of wear on the engine. This car is better equipped than the 2015, and better priced than the 2017, making it a good buy.

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2017 Toyota Prius: Used vs. New

Average Used Listing Price: $17,635

Average Used Mileage: 47,697

Savings vs. buying new: $11,141

A 2017 Toyota Prius will run you about $17,635 and have about 47,697 miles on the odometer, saving you an average of $11,141.

Newer Features the 2017 Toyota Prius lacks

●               Apple CarPlay

●               Security System

●               Wi-Fi hotspot

●               Heated steering wheel

Is buying a used 2017 Toyota Prius a good idea?

The features available on the 2017 Prius are great, the mileage is fairly low (18,000 below a 2016), and the price stays just as low. A pre-owned 2017 Prius is a great purchase.

2018 Toyota Prius: Used vs. New

Average Used Listing Price: $19,019

Average Used Mileage: 38,640

Savings vs. buying new: $9,757

At $19,019, the average 2018 Prius costs $9,757 less than a new 2020 Prius, but still only has 38,640 miles.

Newer Features the 2018 Toyota Prius lacks

●               Apple CarPlay

●               Wi-Fi hotspot

●               Heated steering wheel

Is buying a used 2018 Toyota Prius a good idea?

It might not be as good a deal as a 2017, but a 2018 Prius is still a smart buy. It has even lower mileage, the price doesn’t increase too dramatically, and it does have an available security system for peace of mind when you are away from your car. Buying a 2018 Prius is a good idea.

2019 Toyota Prius: Used vs. New

Average Used Listing Price: $21,083

Average Used Mileage: 24,624

Savings vs. buying new: $7,693

The 2019 Prius is the only model year with an average price above $20,000, sitting at $21,083. That is still a savings of $7,963 for a car with only 24,624 miles on average.

Newer Features the 2019 Toyota Prius lacks

●               Apple CarPlay

●               Wi-Fi hotspot

Is buying a used 2019 Toyota Prius a good idea?

With how low the mileage is, and only having to give up CarPlay and a Wi-Fi hotspot to save nearly $8,000, the 2019 Prius is a good used car to buy. It’s nearly new, and Toyota even has one of the most highly regarded pieces of proprietary infotainment software.

The easiest way to find a reliable Toyota Prius in your area

A pre-owned Toyota Prius is easy to find with the free CoPIlot car shopping app. If you let us know what Hybrid you’re looking for, we will search far and wide to find the ultimate deal on a new Prius using the same software as the dealerships. It’s the best way to look for cars that are kind on the planet and your bank account.

Only interested in newer, off-lease vehicles? Try CoPilot Compare, the search engine for nearly-new cars. We’ll only show you models that are 5 years or newer with low mileage, most with CPO availability. We’ll break down how much you save buying used vs. new and show you the best nearly-new listings in your area.

The best part? CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no ‘promoted’ or ‘sponsored’ listings - just the best cars in your area. Learn more about how CoPilot works on our About Us page.