Used 2021 Toyota Prius for SaleNationwide

Compare 2021 Toyota Prius Trims

The 2021 Toyota Prius offers a range of trims from budget-friendly options to fully loaded models, all with impressive fuel efficiency.

• Starting at $18,384
• Best MPG/MPGe: 58 city / 53 hwy
• Most Popular: LE FWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

Missing data displayed as "—".

Trim Deep Dives

L Eco FWD — "Who It's For"

The L Eco FWD is the pick for shoppers who want the best value without paying for extra features.

• Avg. market price: $18,523 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 58 city / 53 hwy
• Inventory: 50 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View L Eco FWD listings

LE FWD — "Who It's For"

The LE FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a well-rounded Prius with popular features at an accessible price.

• Avg. market price: $18,384 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 54 city / 50 hwy
• Inventory: 716 listings
• View LE FWD listings

LE AWD-e — "Who It's For"

The LE AWD-e is the pick for shoppers who want all-wheel drive without a significant price increase.

• Avg. market price: $22,078 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 51 city / 47 hwy
• Inventory: 48 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View LE AWD-e listings

XLE FWD — "Who It's For"

The XLE FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a premium experience with added comfort features.

• Avg. market price: $23,540 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 54 city / 50 hwy
• Inventory: 310 listings
• View XLE FWD listings

XLE AWD-e — "Who It's For"

The XLE AWD-e is the pick for shoppers who want sporty performance with all-wheel drive and advanced tech.

• Avg. market price: $23,676 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 51 city / 47 hwy
• Inventory: 69 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View XLE AWD-e listings

Limited FWD — "Who It's For"

The Limited FWD is the pick for shoppers who want a fully loaded Prius with all the luxury features.

• Avg. market price: $25,038 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 54 city / 50 hwy
• Inventory: 147 listings — lower availability; may limit negotiating room
• View Limited FWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — LE FWD

With 716 active listings, the LE FWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse LE FWD listings

Best Budget Option — LE FWD

At $18,384 avg market price — below the lineup median of $22,809 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse LE FWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — L Eco FWD

The L Eco FWD leads the lineup with an impressive 58/53 MPG/MPGe.

Browse L Eco FWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 2, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

How much does the 2021 Toyota Prius cost?

Prices are up 3.62% year-over-year — a sign of continued demand for this model year.

There are 349 listings available, which gives you a modest amount of inventory to compare.

If you find a listing below $19,736.58, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius a good car?

Yes — you’re looking at a 5/5 user-rated car with an expert rating of 6.17/10. The standout strength is Cost effectiveness at 9/10.

The 2021 Prius is built around efficiency and everyday practicality, and it’s framed as a strong fit if you want a simple, low-stress way to get from Point A to Point B. Its strengths are fuel efficiency, a quiet cabin, and excellent value for money. The trade-offs are clear too: the design is polarizing, and performance is sluggish.

For shoppers who prioritize low running costs, commuting ease, and practical ownership over excitement, that balance makes sense. 31.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals, which gives you some room to shop selectively.

Is the 2021 Toyota Prius reliable?

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

The 2021 Prius is presented as a reliability-first hybrid with a reputation for dependable, economical ownership. Its efficiency focus is paired with practical everyday usability, and the expert commentary emphasizes that it delivers on reliability, efficiency, safety, and economy. It also comes with complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 25,000 miles, which helps reduce early ownership costs.

That combination points to relatively low long-term ownership risk for used buyers, especially if you choose a well-maintained example and verify service history.

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

At 70.8% 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, tire wear, and signs of uneven repair quality, since those can reveal whether a used example has been properly restored. It’s also smart to confirm that the hybrid system, safety tech, and infotainment features all work as expected.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The lineup includes L Eco, LE, XLE, 2020 Edition, and Limited. The L Eco is the efficiency-focused choice, while the Limited adds the most upscale equipment. Base trims are simpler, and the Limited’s unique infotainment setup differs from the standard system.
• Powertrain: The Prius pairs a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor and an e-CVT. Front-drive models are tuned for efficiency, while AWD-e versions use a rear electric assist motor and return lower fuel economy.
• Safety package: Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard and includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high beams, and road-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is included on LE and higher trims.
• Infotainment: Standard equipment includes a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Safety Connect, and WiFi Connect. The Limited gets an 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen, navigation, a natural voice recognition system, and a 10-speaker JBL audio system.
• Fuel efficiency: The L Eco can average 56 mpg combined, other front-drive models are rated at 52 mpg combined, and AWD-e versions return 49 mpg combined. The 2020 Edition averaged 47.5 mpg in testing.

Which 2021 Toyota Prius trim should I buy?

The 2021 Toyota Prius is offered in 5 trim levels: L Eco, LE, XLE, 2020 Edition, and Limited.

Here's the short version:

• L Eco: This is the efficiency-first choice, and it’s the one to target if your priority is maximum fuel economy. It’s the best-value trim for shoppers who want the Prius mission in its purest form.
• LE: This is the smart step up if you want more flexibility, since it can be paired with AWD-e and adds blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. It’s a strong pick if you want a better balance of value and equipment.
• XLE: This trim builds on the LE’s broader appeal and is a good fit if you want a more comfortable, better-equipped Prius without jumping to the top end.
• 2020 Edition: This is the limited-production special model with blacked-out trim, black 17-inch wheels, a body-color rear spoiler, and unique paint choices. It’s mainly for shoppers who want the commemorative styling.
• Limited: This is the most feature-rich trim, with the 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen, JBL audio, navigation, and voice recognition. It’s the right choice if you want the most upscale Prius experience, though its infotainment setup does not get Android Auto.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard across the lineup, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert starts on LE and higher.

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

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully without expecting deep discounts everywhere.

• Deal availability: 31.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 349 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices are up 3.62% year-over-year.
• Clean inventory: 70.8% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $19,736.58, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2021 Toyota Prius's resale value?

The current average of $21,601 sits slightly above last year's $20,846.

That upward move suggests the market still values this Prius’s efficiency-first formula. For a future seller, that’s a helpful sign: demand appears steady enough to support pricing, especially for clean, well-kept examples with strong service records. The model’s reputation for economy and practicality should continue to help it appeal to used-car shoppers who want low running costs.

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 safe?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the car favorable marks, and it could potentially earn a Top Safety Pick with better headlights and improved front-passenger protection in small-overlap frontal crashes.

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

Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard, and it includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high beams, and road-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is standard on LE and higher trims.

One caveat is that the lane-keeping and lane-centering systems can make the steering feel more artificial, and the lane-departure warning can be intrusive. For used buyers, that means you should test the driver-assistance systems on your own route to make sure they suit your preferences.

Should I buy a 2021 Toyota Prius 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:

• 31.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 70.8% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices are up 3.62% year-over-year.
• Owners rate it 5/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• Toyota made Safety Sense 2.0 standard across the lineup and added Android Auto to the standard system.

Consider the 2020 if:

• At $21,548, the 2020 costs less than the current year's $21,601 average.
• It remains a benchmark hybrid with strong fuel efficiency and standard advanced safety features.

The bottom line: If you want the most current version of this generation with standard Android Auto and broad safety coverage, the 2021 is the better primary pick. If your main goal is saving a little money up front, the 2020 is the sensible secondary path, especially if you find a clean example with the right equipment.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 4, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.