2012 Toyota Prius C Review - 376,000 Miles Of Efficiency!

[@aenoymotors]

Glad you enjoyed this beater of a Prius C! It's gotten a used battery and is running great! I have to run this thing to 500,000 miles and I would be satisfied. Also, the front driver seat is thrashed after that mileage. I'm planning on getting a lower mileage used seat for the front.

[@bldontmatter5319]

Honestly, at those miles, be ready to do a serious overhaul or a major failure. At that mileage, you shouldnt just randomly replace stuff like the seat. Bad investment.

[@bldontmatter5319]

Also, it seems you're from the rust belt. So be ready for structural problems and major rust issues in the next couple years. Another reason not to "invest" in it

[@aenoymotors]

A used seat is maybe $100. The car was cheap, the underlying structure is in great shape (the radiator support failure was because of a botched body shop job), and this thing owes me a few years of Uber/Lyft abuse before it can die.

[@bldontmatter5319]

@@aenoymotors fair nuff. Atleast you know the reality and don't overindulge on this absolute BEATER.

[@aenoymotors]

It was bought purely for doing taxi work. Other people are never careful with your car so with this thing I don't have to really care. On a positive note it's actually been well maintained over the years by Toyota and I'm the second owner. It drives great.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

@Shooting Cars, Remember that Toyota hybrids do not use a CVT, they use an e-CVT which is a planetary gear set, a set or gears that connect the 2 motor generators to the ICE and wheels. That's why Toyota hybrids last for so long and manage to reach those mileages, because the ''transmission'' is made of gears that rotate in one direction, there is really nothing to break there.

[@toyotaprius79]

The only thing that is changing direction is the Generator or MG1, which is the key component in the continuous variable gearing as well as the starter for the combustion engine. Said combustion engines in Toyota (series/parallel) hybrids have very easy lives since the engines are never directly connected through to the load from the road.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

@@toyotaprius79 Indeed, it is a very well designed vehicle, so many people do not realize that.

[@Wren6858]

The prius C actually does use a CVT

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

@@Wren6858 It uses an eCVT which is a planetary gear set.

[@PaoloVarquez]

@@hedgehogthesonic3181no, Prius C uses regular CVT. Prius (non C) uses eCVT

[@zacharyreynolds4303]

I wish they would bring this back into production, exactly as it is. What a great car

[@Bleachanna]

​@@Brian_Eugene_Leepeople hated it for no reason. Delusions.

[@bwofficial1776]

Call it the Corolla hatch hybrid, as that's essentially what it was. There's already a Corolla hybrid with the previous Prius's drivetrain and a Corolla hatch, why not unite them?

[@mattwolf7698]

I miss cars like this, The Fit, Yaris, Versa hatchback and even the Mirage are getting/have been discontinued. I don't want an SUV but I also like the versatility of a hatchback. Granted I do like Kia Souls and there is still the Corolla hatchback.

[@MrKillswitch88]

They still make them just for Japan with a few trickling out for right hand drive countries. For the US the 2012 model is the most common and after that like the Lexus CT200H the numbers dropped off by around half each year so year models after like 2017 or so are pretty rare.

[@davestvwatching2408]

Toyota sells the Yaris Hybrid in many other countries, updated with modern safety doodads and what looks like much nicer seats.

[@cornkopp2985]

the prius C and versa note are the cars that keep the usa running. Can't tell you how many times I've seen either one of those cars with some stickers on the side advertising a cleaning service, or some local government agency, or sitting in the parking lot of high school. These are the cars that are true working class workhorses.

[@louiearmstrong]

And you can get them for $7000-9000 at dealers. They are perfect city cars. If on a tighter budget, the Scion xA and xB

[@aaronragasa6173]

this would be an excellent rcr outro monologue

[@anthonykiedis1765]

The people who bought these things brand new are laughing at EV drivers right now. $22k brand new and 50+ mpg is insane.

[@zbigniewkloda6575]

Exactly my Prius C gasoline cost is less than electric Tesla😊

[@beanapprentice1687]

Not really, most EV drivers charge at home for dirt cheap.

[@anthonykiedis1765]

@@beanapprentice1687 dirt cheap? Might want to check electric rates.

[@beanapprentice1687]

@@anthonykiedis1765 average electricity cost in the USA is 16.7 cents per kWh. With that rate, it costs about 20 bucks to recharge an EV with 600 km worth of electricity. That’s pretty cheap compared to a tank of gas.

[@anthonykiedis1765]

@@beanapprentice1687 you are correct, but if you pay $40k for an electric car compared to a $25k hybrid, it would take a very long time to recoup that difference. Especially when the gas car is getting 50 mpg.

[@dawsongranger4940]

You don’t have to replace the entire battery in a Prius. You can replace just the cells that are going bad. I know chrisfix has a video going over the process. And these don’t use a regular CVT. It’s an eCVT which is the best commuter transmission ever made

[@bldontmatter5319]

That's like replacing a single bad battery in a remote. They're both going downhill. Why even bother???

[@dawsongranger4940]

@@bldontmatter5319 No its not, it's completely different. In a battery pack, one bad cell can drag down several perfectly good cells. Replacing just the bad ones will return the battery back to optimal status. Also not spending several thousand dollars is why you do it. Remotes use non reusable batteries, completely different

[@davidmccloud2508]

I’ve always liked the Prius C and Prius V. It just makes sense to have variants of cars like the Prius. If I ever need a daily driver, Prius C is my pick.

[@JP-jg6hy]

I went from a 2012 Jeep Patriot Jet Edition to a 2015 Prius C. Best decision of my life. Went from 15 mpg to 46-47mpg. The most I paid for gas was 12 bucks and only has to do was scheduled maintenance. Not the fastest but hey.

[@7GeeooH7]

I have a 2013 with 185k miles, replaced they hybrid battery about a year ago. Hopefully add another 185k and last 10 more years! 😍🤞🏻

[@bwofficial1776]

These are underrated commuter cars. It's a shame these weren't popular because they were "too small" and "a Prius". Since Toyota already has a Corolla hatchback and a Corolla hybrid, they could bring this back but sell it as the Corolla hatch hybrid. Toyota's hybrids can go the distance. There probably aren't many 2012 Chevy Sonics or Mitsubishi Mirages still rolling around and even fewer with more than 200k miles.

[@retrocompaq5212]

you can buy 3 mirages for the price of a prius to get the same exact bad quality and shitty drivetrain, the guy that buys a mirage is a winner in the end

[@hoomanAdnan]

It's a Toyota 'Aqua' here in Bangladesh ❤ from 🇧🇩

[@aidanasmr5099]

That's the real name

[@papipepepipez]

I drive a 2015 C and currently have 450k on it.

[@aenoymotors]

Wow and I thought this one had high miles.

[@papipepepipez]

@aenoymotors i use mine as a delivery vehicle so thats how i racked my miles fast! I'd recommend one. Just do your maintenance and clean the hybrid battery fan monthly.

[@zbigniewkloda6575]

Wooow 450K is a loot and still works.Good choice

[@k4piii]

Can you upload a video? It sounds unreal

[@felixromano3091]

Same battery or have you changed it

[@hollybirge4087]

I’ve driven a bunch of these. We have a car share service called EVO in BC that uses these. They are great little hybrids.

[@roxtarcool]

It’s an excellent car. My Prius C is 11 years old and even today I get close to 50 mpg. It’s my first car and still running strong. The paint and finish is still holding well and doesn’t look old. The car market today has gone completely crazy. No cheap reliable cars for younger folks today.

[@pedroberoes49]

Same here, bought mine 4 years ago, only had to change batteries but other than that it’s a soldier. I was lucky to find this car tbh.

[@barron204]

The C/Aqua is one of the most popular cars in my city.

[@dave11686]

I lovingly call this the Prius Egg due to the shape. It’s simplified and I love it

[@davestvwatching2408]

I have a 2014 with 165000 miles and I would judge the Prius C as the most cost efficient car ever produced. The low starting price, fuel economy and very low maintenance add up too very little. My only unexpected issue was a failure of the rear ABS and that required replacing the rear wheel bearing

[@thisvagabondlife7132]

I just bought a 2015 Prius c and I’m loving it!

[@williamlyons2450]

You know, I was wondering when you'd do a Prius C. I've been interested in this lil beast for a while. I want it as my next daily

[@bitemyshinnymetalass1569]

I've been thinking the same thing. But I'm the same height and shape as Zack so I may look into it's longer sibling the Prius V. Not as fuel efficient but it doesn't sacrifice head and passenger room.

[@scottdean27]

That was so cool to see a real world video of a heavily used car. I have the same car in red, but mine only has 163,000 miles after 11 years. So now my car suddenly seems “newer…er”. Mine has had no significant issues so far and still gets the same mpg it has always gotten, which is about 52 in warmer weather and 47 or so in the coldest months here in upstate NY. It does great in our winters with snow tires on it from Mid November to late March. You might have found the passenger seat more comfortable. I’m sure the driver’s seat is just compressed beyond belief from drivers sitting in it all those miles. I still love mine and hope to drive it for many more years.

[@markpera2501]

love the high millage reviews.

[@davinp]

Toyota also discontinued the Yaris in 2020. These small (sub-compact) cars don't sell very well, so Toyota and Honda chose to cancel the smallest cars they had made

[@mattwolf7698]

Well at least in the US, I kinda wish some Japanese Kei cars came over here, granted even modern ones probably wouldn't even be street legal here.

[@baronvonjo1929]

I got a Honda Fit. One thing nobody told me was how expensive small cars are to insure. They are really dangerous plain and simple. Also automakers really do not try to make this segment attractive in the styling for the mass market. I like my Fit. But anyone could tell ya it would never appear to a majority of Americans.

[@Espiel78]

I have a 2013 Prius "C" 3. It is my urban runabout/go to campus car, and is absolutely perfect in this role. I keep it maintained and so far there have been no issues after a decade of use. The seats are comfortable for me, it has all the amenities, is maneuverable and is quick enough. No rust yet even here in Ohio. I really like this tiny puddle jumper so plan to keep it going. Thanks for the review of this impressive example.

[@mitch9521]

Also sold as the Toyota Aqua in Japan. Same underpinnings as the Yaris. 1NZ-FXE.

[@nfscooterguy]

We have a 2012, 93K km, it’s a zippy little city runabout. Perfect for that! We paid $8K CDN a year ago. In 12 months, it needed a wheel bearing, brake work (including a brake line) and a front strut. It’s fully paid for, gets incredible fuel economy, the sound system is good. A fantastic car depending on your circumstances. Sidenote: we also have a 2016 RAV4 hybrid - I will 8/10 times take the C over the RAV.

[@MrKillswitch88]

I got the top trim model 2012 Prius C and have to say it has been great thus far plus it does have some additional feature than this one. Anyway there is an upgrade option for the battery using lithium iron phosphate for around $1,600 shipped however it is diy only beyond that one can always just swap out dead cells for new ones as Toyota is still making them. As for the car Toyota is still making them just under a different name and primarily for Japan only with a few making their way out to places like Australia.

[@Pharaoh5611]

I love the look of steel wheels on a dull white car 🥰

[@cinemapigeon4898]

Third party service came to my house and installed a refurbished Prius battery for under $600. No need to spend thousands.

[@DeuceDebonaire]

Name of company??

[@kelvinmonroy8213]

Love my Prius C! 2013 with 104,000 miles, perfect for zipping thru crazy Los Angeles streets. I easily top out at 50-60 mpg on every drive. Efficient super car!

[@dj4651]

Thank you so much for your review! My 2013 Toyota Prius C with 148k miles on it is in need of a $2k battery, and you’ve just convinced me to move forward. My rig works in the gig economy with around 100 miles a day on it 7 days a week… if it even makes to 300k miles without a new engine or transmission, then the investment is SO WORTH the price of a new battery. Will subscribe now thank you again!

[@aenoymotors]

It'll make it! Shannon (the Prius C here) is still running strong!

[@goga.games18]

Sad its discontinued one of cars that make "sense"

[@cjthom]

I love this car. I bought my 2013 used. I drive Uber with it in Los Angeles. I put the back seat down and transport my whole farmers market set up all over the city (I make and sell natural soap) weekly. I’ll put a new battery pack in it when the time comes. I’m hoping Toyota will bring it back.

[@Toyeboy89]

I paid $9000 for mine with 94k miles. It now has 137k miles no trouble gets 45 mpg average overall between cold winters and summer in Michigan.

[@Jerms995]

My father had a Gen 1 Prius! It was a good little econobox, big enough for a (little kid than) me. But when the Battery pack went out we bought a 00 Buick Lesabre! We Nicknamed it the “Grandma Mobile” Gold with the 1/2 plush top. That little thing can move!

[@inboxnews]

INMO well worth the new battery pack. Great review!

[@ethanoyamawang]

That's insane mileage. Just bought it in Japan for Okinawa. I did extra rust coating. Hope it will last long as well. Mine was only 29km. Seats in Japan have premium clothes, so they are a bit more comfortable for the long haul.

[@Where2bub]

in my experience driving a hybrid camry taxi which shared 3 other drivers, one needed a new battery at just 76,000 miles. this may be shocking, but my regular gas camry needed a new transmission at 78,000 miles. At the time I heard the battery could cost the owner $7,000 (that was around 2013), and in my ownership experience with my gas only camry, the transmission replacement was going to cost $9,000 at the dealer, which they talked down to $6,800. I got a transmission somewhere else for $3,500.. so in summary, I generally think that the battery could wear out at around the same time a regular transmission would in a non-cvt car, and would also cost around the same money. I seriously doubt that a Toyota dealership would only charge $2,000 for a battery swap but maybe they're a whole lot nicer over there. oh and when the previous generation Ford Escape hybrid battery had problems, it bogged down the entire drivetrain and informed the driver to pullover at which point it refused to move until it cooled down, and then it was able to limp off the highway, my guess is this issue was probably caused by a broken cooling system, those miles were at about 415,000. the owner of the escape then switched to uber and got a hybrid camry.

[@retrocompaq5212]

idk why but the taxi carmy transmissions are always broken, the 4cyl one is way tougher tho, ive seen over few hundreds of those broken, 90% was v6 cars, in canada we had to charge over 12k for a transmission because those are very hard to find, now not a single taxi driver buys japaneese products, they all went to hyundais and kias and they all say that those cars cost less over the years, you can replace 3 kia engines for the same price of 1 toyota transmission... taxi drivers are way less stupid than the average driver, they know a good place where to put their money, toyota/honda and nissan isnt anymore

[@pedroberoes49]

You can definitely get a battery for 2k, I paid that for a brand new battery from Greentech auto, a 3rd party battery manufacturer.

[@Balrog-tf3bg]

My ex had one of these. Slowest car I’ve ever driven, had to be filled up more often than you’d think, but also got 40-50mpg, and that’s hard to beat

[@gabrielrogers2971]

I always wanted one of these cars they’re so cute and efficient

[@brendanleonard1375]

I've started looking for the Prius online! lol I have a Fit but it gets 33 mpg. Which is alright but the Prius def beats that !

[@thomasrhinehart6084]

Look a car for people who make prudent financial decisions and don't fall into the American/Capitalist mindset of debt and consumerism....but we can't have that, it would free up money and time for the working classes to be freeed from the slavery of mind numbing idiocy that is the current popular landscape...bring back cheap transportation!

[@new2000car]

This type of car doesn’t sell here, that’s why it was discontinued. Definitely a great choice to save money. These cars are on their way back. With 33 trillion in debt, high inflation, high gas prices (bidenomics at work) we Americans will have no choice but to drive these.

[@bldontmatter5319]

Well, technically the hype in left-wing echo chambers fueled the obsession of this car, which in itself is a form of capitalism. Not really sure why you went all crazy, acting like this car isn't sold by a corporation trying to make money.

[@beanapprentice1687]

5:26 that’s because the Prius C is built on the Yaris platform, and they reused this part from the Yaris, along with other parts, to save on development costs.

[@jennydonne8946]

I'm in England and I still drive a 2005 mk1 Yaris which is the same as the Echo but it's a hatchback and has a digital display. Europe never had the Prius C but we had the Yaris mk3 with a hybrid option with the same running gear as the Prius C. The Yaris mk4 still has a hybrid option with a 1.5 3 cylinder engine, British market it's hybrid only but other markets have a non hybrid option, this is also rebadged as a Mazda2 hybrid for the European market. Didn't you get a Mazda2 sedan in the states rebadged as a Yaris?

[@dhillaz]

Yes, the Yaris sedan is a Mazda2, and so was the Scion iA before the brand was killed.

[@chriserony]

I had a 2001 Toyota Echo. Was the best little car you could drive (ignoring the safety rating). Hope they reused that model in new cars. Wasn't popular because of the unique dashboard, but was such an easy engine setup to work on, super fuel efficient for a car from 2001. Timing chain.

[@BenyKorenberg]

It kinda looks like a cross over between the small Mitsubishi Mirage (the small hatchback) and the older Nissan Leaf... Not sure what to think about this... A very regular and pretty reliable vehicle... With some good TLC and a battery, it will be a very nice car for the same (and more) amount of miles it gone through by now...

[@cardiffchris]

My 2014 Prius has 345.000 miles on it. My 2010 Prius went 265,000 Never did a brake job in that time......How much did that save? Never Needed any Battery Packs.

[@bldontmatter5319]

No brake job? Sounds like only highway miles, or major neglect of safety

[@MylesV]

@@bldontmatter5319 Regen braking saves a lot of wear from the brake pads.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

You do not know what you are talking about. These cars are hybrids, which means that they are made to be as efficient as possible, these cars barely use the brake pads, these cars use regenerative braking always unless you press the brakes hard in an emergency stop. @@bldontmatter5319

[@zbigniewkloda6575]

377,000 miles wooow no bad

[@AriMaccallum]

I love my Prius c I brought it last from a dealership used I love it and the dealer paid for the battery pack

[@TassieLorenzo]

Every single bolt is rusty, amazing! 🙂Even the steel wheels are a bit rusty. As someone from a Mediterranean climate, that's so wild to see.

[@mitch9521]

Toyota's hardware for the most part is just bare steel so it will rust in salty/cold climates. My 2014 Yaris is the same but its not as bad as this one.

[@fishingpol5195]

After market cells for EV battery are pretty cheap for this prius if you just swap few bad cells $50-$100 and seen refurbished whole set for like $500-1000. Not including the labour.

[@michaelcardenas4041]

I knows this is a old video but where did you get that phone holder? I’ve been looking for moths to get one in that exact spot

[@hoshi3750]

I have a friend with a 2008 Prius with 700k miles! Crazy tho

[@SolidSL510]

Amazing who make the brand?

[@erikgonzalez2278]

I need to upgrade to this they use the legendary 1.5!!!!!

[@thayalansuntharalingam]

Gen 2 280k 1.5 is great.

[@Jaibuuuu]

I love this vehicle, I own a 2020 with 40000km on it :)

[@mando1407]

You need to review the Prius V

[@rondus18]

11:22 I noticed there is a small hole in the bottom of the taillights. I too have had to drill a hole in my Prius C's taillight because it collects water.

[@aenoymotors]

Ha! Yep, I had to do that.

[@ChopperApache2024]

toyota Prius C has killer bed car or not? Tell me The reason!

[@Djmatrix2310]

If the only thing wrong is the battery the argument of "more to fix than it's worth" is a stupid argument. Think about if the only major issue is the battery it's a piece of mind. With a new car you have car payment, insurance rates goes up, if you lose your job they can come for the car, you can't work you can lose your job. It's a piece of mind not having to worry about that stuff.

[@chrisniner8772]

The prius doesnt use a CVT. Theres videos showing how the dual electric motors work

[@FireMuscle11]

I get 5.3l/100km city/highway I go 140km in highway, I added injen cold air Red sollenoid, still at 70 km, 2014 prius c Anybody tuned this car?

[@ulhaqanwaar1]

why you changing the battery pack instead repair the original just change the cells inside order from aliexpress or anywhere and replace yourself will work better than the original battery

[@soraru1988]

Y'all remember that PriusC commercial? 💀💀

[@Atlanta83]

i luv my 21 corolla Apex

[@beechizel8148]

I had to drop a Like after that 'Skid mark' joke lol

[@tientrinh943]

Do you want to review a Ranchero my friend has?

[@Metalodeath]

I just wonder what the miles were when he bought it that cheap and how long he has had it’s a real shame Toyota had to discontinue this car cause if this stupid suv craze

[@aenoymotors]

The mileage on it in the video is what it was when I bought it. I just got it a few days before Zack came out to record it. It's got another thousand on the clock now.

[@Metalodeath]

@@aenoymotors Nice keep at It!

[@samanthagaboo5610]

I was considering this for Uber, absolutely not.

[@doityourway3857]

I would put the battery in. I'm sure he can get another 200,000 miles out of that car

[@nerdherd2604]

Do you have a business email? I have a 1981 Datsun 280zx for you to review if you're interested. It's mostly stock and in fairly great shape for its age.

[@ShootingCars]

[e-mail] !

[@bilawalmalik230]

Mistaken on an important component but other than that awesome review - I went and checked out one cause of you so thank you - Anyways the thing your mistaken on is the seats, they are extremely uncomfortable and hard! Now you have a lot of natural cushion so maybe you didnt feel it. Im not calling you a fat ass or anything like that so please dont take it the wrong way.

[@retrocompaq5212]

my brother had the same exact car, he bought it for 40k+ and it was less fuel efficient than my old base chevy cobalt and every maintenance cost 3-4 times more than my car, it was a huge waste of money, toyota had to buy his car back after 5-6 years because the floor was so rotted that the car was dangerous, i will never forget the day that he tells me that paying twice the price will be a win in the end, i ending up payin 19,000$ less than him over the years, not because a car is more reliable but that its less costly, interior quality was as bad as mine, he had more issues, radio was replaced 3 times, he had 6 different major recalls, i got 2, brakes and suspension was 3-4 times more costly... anyway toyota hybrids are a big lie, huge mistake, every of those garbage cost over 50k in the long run, you can buy a decently equip camry for the same price and will cost less to own over the years

[@MylesV]

$40k USD? There is no way a Prius C was ever sold for anything anywhere near that price lmfao

[@davinp]

Toyota rust proof their cars, but GM and Ford did not

[@indenturedLemon]

all of the company does rustproof their vehicle but what will consume them is finest rust belt DOT salt

[@bldontmatter5319]

​@@indenturedLemoneven GM rustproofed, if you call a thin layer of wax on the frame "rustproofing" LOL

[@indenturedLemon]

@@bldontmatter5319 is not like toyota are well known for rustproofing either lmao

[@bldontmatter5319]

@@indenturedLemon they rustproof the paint very lightly, if at all, and the frames got coated improperly by a bad company. 100% Toyotas fault for not recalling every single car that rusted early.

[@jish8681]

how is it even remotely possible to drive anywhere near that many miles in 11 years

[@bwofficial1776]

It's usually delivery drivers or couriers driving several hundred miles per day.

[@mattwolf7698]

It was a fleet vehicle

[@MrKillswitch88]

People have jobs

[@junior17medval]

@@MrKillswitch88🤣

[@tinhinnh]

looks old without the wheel covers

[@DevinDavidson18]

hello

[@davidp2888]

I'll take a Corolla over this.

[@hedgehogthesonic3181]

Why

[@cosmicbluevox1001]

I highly doubt this Prius c gets its original advertised mpg from factory. The battery must have rotted to crap by now. I doubt anything over 30mpg since all of the hybrid components are in-op. Unless the owner replaced the battery recently. Nothing more special than a Yaris hatchback non-hybrid.

[@drifzyy67]

Disgusting car

[@LoafRock]

Love mine. Little beater beast.