2016 Toyota Prius MPG and Fuel Cost

Every 2016 Toyota Prius is a hybrid, rated 52 to 56 mpg combined across 2 versions.

EPA fuel economy

2016 Toyota Prius · 2 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

56MPG combined

58 city 53 highway

$1,100 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score10/10

1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT · Eco

Best version saves $5,500 in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.00 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Nov 12, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $1,100 to $1,200 a year. The plug-in hybrid version offered in 2015 is not listed by EPA for 2016.

One of the Prius years to avoid

The 2016 drew 93 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 44 for a typical Prius year (21 for a typical year since 2016): 2.1 times as many.

Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, and 2016. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Prius year ranked The 2016 Prius's recalls and problems

Every 2016 Prius version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT · Eco Best EPA listing: Prius Eco	56 mpg	58 / 53	$1,100
1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT EPA listing: Prius	52 mpg	54 / 50	$1,200

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.00 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT · Eco	$1,071	$89	$5,357
1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT	$1,154	$96	$5,769

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

How long does a hybrid take to pay for itself? See the payback for every model sold both ways.

Toyota Prius MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Hybrid: 48 to 57 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); 57 since 2023.

2016: hybrid 56 mpg

Show as a table

Toyota Prius best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best hybrid version
2010	50
2011	48
2012	48
2013	48
2014	48
2015	48
2016	56
2017	56
2018	56
2019	56
2020	56
2021	56
2022	56
2023	57
2024	57
2025	57
2026	57

Every Prius year's ratings in one table

How the 2016 Prius compares

2016 compact cars covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2016 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Prius This page Best: hybrid	56 mpg	–	$1,100
Volkswagen Jetta Best: hybrid	44 mpg	33 mpg	$1,750
Honda Civic Best: gas	35 mpg	35 mpg	$1,800
Toyota Corolla Best: gas	34 mpg	34 mpg	$1,850
Nissan Sentra Best: gas	33 mpg	33 mpg	$1,900
Mazda3 Best: gas	33 mpg	33 mpg	$1,900
Hyundai Elantra Best: gas	31 mpg	31 mpg	$2,000
Kia Forte Best: gas	30 mpg	30 mpg	$2,100

2016 Prius recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 156 owner complaints for the 2016 Prius.

Owners most often describe a cracked windshield (35 complaints, 22%), then jerking or harsh shifting (8). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 5 stars.

See the 2016 Prius recalls and problems

Questions

Does the 2016 Toyota Prius need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2016 Toyota Prius version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2016 Prius's MPG compare with the 2015?

For 2016, the best hybrid version is rated 56 mpg, up 8 from 48.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Nov 4, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.00, midgrade $4.61, premium $5.01, diesel $6.13 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Nov 12, 2026 and complaint file dated Nov 11, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.