Toyota Years to Avoid by Model
Toyota years to avoid: the 2010 Prius (2,819 complaints), 2009 Corolla (1,533 complaints), 2019 RAV4 (867 complaints) and 2018 Camry (726 complaints) lead the list. All 12 Toyota models we track have at least one avoid-rated year; the cleanest records include the 2022 Camry and 2021 Tacoma. Based on 33,748 NHTSA owner complaints, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
Toyota years to avoid, model by model
| Model | Years to avoid | Best years | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 20082009201020112012201820192020 | 201620172022 | 7,186 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota Tacoma | 20082009201220162017201820192024 | 2021 | 3,195 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota RAV4 | 200820192020202120232024 | — | 5,833 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota Prius | 2008200920102011201220132014 | 2018201920222023 | 7,247 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota Highlander | 20082017201820192020202120222023 | — | 3,965 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota Corolla | 20092010201120192020 | — | 6,322 (2008–2025) |
| Toyota Tundra | 201520162022 | 20212025 | 0 (2015–2026) |
| Toyota Avalon | 201320142015 | 20212022 | 0 (2011–2022) |
| Toyota 4Runner | 201520162017 | 20242025 | 0 (2015–2026) |
| Toyota Sienna | 201120122013 | 20192020 | 0 (2009–2020) |
| Toyota Sequoia | 201220132014 | 20212022 | 0 (2011–2022) |
| Toyota Venza | 201220132014 | 20242025 | 0 (2010–2025) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history (see the methodology); counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The worst year for each Toyota model
2010 Toyota Prius: 2,819 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 · Full Prius breakdown →
2009 Toyota Corolla: 1,533 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019 and 2020 · Full Corolla breakdown →
2019 Toyota RAV4: 867 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 · Full RAV4 breakdown →
2018 Toyota Camry: 726 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 and 2020 · Full Camry breakdown →
2021 Toyota Highlander: 473 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 · Full Highlander breakdown →
2024 Toyota Tacoma: 138 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 · Full Tacoma breakdown →
2015 Toyota Tundra: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2015, 2016 and 2022 · Full Tundra breakdown →
2013 Toyota Avalon: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2013, 2014 and 2015 · Full Avalon breakdown →
2015 Toyota 4Runner: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2015, 2016 and 2017 · Full 4Runner breakdown →
2013 Toyota Sienna: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2011, 2012 and 2013 · Full Sienna breakdown →
2013 Toyota Sequoia: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2013 and 2014 · Full Sequoia breakdown →
2013 Toyota Venza: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2012, 2013 and 2014 · Full Venza breakdown →
Looking for the years to buy instead?
Frequently asked questions
What Toyota years should you avoid?
By model: Camry 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 and 2020; Tacoma 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024; RAV4 2008, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024; Prius 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; Highlander 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; Corolla 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019 and 2020; Tundra 2015, 2016 and 2022; Avalon 2013, 2014 and 2015; 4Runner 2015, 2016 and 2017; Sienna 2011, 2012 and 2013; Sequoia 2012, 2013 and 2014; Venza 2012, 2013 and 2014. Each verdict matches that model's own years-to-avoid page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
What are the best Toyota years to buy?
The cleanest federal records by model: Camry 2016, 2017 and 2022; Tacoma 2021; Prius 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023; Tundra 2021 and 2025; Avalon 2021 and 2022; 4Runner 2024 and 2025; Sienna 2019 and 2020; Sequoia 2021 and 2022; Venza 2024 and 2025.
Which Toyota model has the most years to avoid?
The Toyota Camry, with 8 avoid-rated model years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 and 2020) across 18 years on record (2008–2025).
How are Toyota years to avoid rated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road, compared with the rest of that model's own history and adjusted for recalls. Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
Where does the Toyota data come from?
Federal records: 33,748 NHTSA owner complaints across 12 Toyota models, plus NHTSA recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.