Free Buyer’s Guide
2016 Toyota Prius
A simple guide for buyers with no car knowledge. Do most of the work from home, on the phone. Only go and see the car if you like what you hear. The decision is always yours.
The free guide is below. The full guide is made for this car after you pay.
Most complete
Want the full step-by-step plan for this 2016 Toyota Prius?
The full guide is made for this exact car. It runs to up to 40 pages, with drawings, so you know where to look and what each answer means.
- Drawings of the car, the engine bay and where oil and coolant leaks show up
- A step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive, with a Yes or No for every check
- A colour on every No that says how serious it is, and a rough repair budget at the end
- Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it, if you give them
Which 2016 Prius is it?
A 2016 Prius could be a last third-generation car or an early fourth-generation car. The VIN and the compliance plate show which one it is.
Ask the seller: "Can you read me the VIN, and tell me if this is the standard Prius or the small Prius c?"
1.8L petrol hybrid 2ZR-FXE
Engine code 2ZR-FXE · Automatic (eCVT, no gears to select)
- Petrol engine makes 72 kW. An electric motor adds 53 kW.
- Automatic gearbox called an eCVT. It has no gears to select.
- Standard spec and i-Tech trim levels
1.5L petrol hybrid (small Prius c hatch) 1NZ-FXE
Engine code 1NZ-FXE · Automatic (CVT)
- Smaller hatch, sold as the Prius c
- Automatic CVT gearbox. A CVT has no fixed gears.
- Front-wheel drive
Safety rating
ANCAP has rated the Prius. The page says the rating applies to all variants built from November 2015. Standard equipment includes front, side chest and curtain airbags, plus a driver knee airbag. Autonomous emergency braking, lane support and adaptive cruise control are listed as standard. Read the star count and score on the ANCAP page: https://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/toyota/prius/183b24. No rating is shown here for the Prius c.
The big-money items
You can’t see inside these parts, but you can ask about them.
Hybrid battery PRIUS HYBRID BATTERY. THE PRICE FOUND IS FOR 2009 TO 2016 CARS, NOT THE FOURTH GENERATION.
$$$ (over $2,000)The big battery that helps the petrol engine and electric motors. One Sydney repairer lists $2,660 fitted for 2009 to 2016 cars. Signs to watch: higher fuel use, weaker pick-up, or a Check Hybrid System message.
Ask: "Has the hybrid battery been tested or replaced, and can I see the paperwork?"
Recall repairs: wiring harness and parking brake cable REPORTS SAY A WIRING HARNESS RECALL COVERED CARS BUILT JUNE 2015 TO MAY 2018. A PARKING BRAKE CABLE RECALL COVERED AUGUST 2015 TO OCTOBER 2016.
$ (under $500)These are news reports, not the Australian notices. Only a VIN check shows if a car is covered.
Ask: "Can I see proof that any recall work on this car was done?"
12-volt battery ONE PRIUS I-TECH OWNER POST. TREAT IT AS A QUESTION TO ASK.
$ (under $500)The small battery that powers the car's computers. One owner said it was a big issue on short trips.
Ask: "When was the 12-volt battery last replaced? Is the car mostly used for short trips?"
Want to check these yourself?
The full guide shows where each of these parts is on this car and how to check it safely, with a Yes or No for every check.
Get the full guide · $29Regular maintenance
Look for these on the service invoices.
- Engine oil
Keeps the engine moving smoothly
As shown in the logbook
- Spark plugs
They light the fuel in the petrol engine
As shown in the logbook
- Brake fluid
The fluid that carries your foot push to the brakes
Every 2 years (our guide)
- Coolant
Keeps the engine from getting too hot
As shown in the logbook
- Gearbox oil
Oil in the eCVT, the gearbox with no fixed gears
As shown in the logbook
- Air filter
Cleans the air going into the engine
As shown in the logbook
- Tyres
The only part of the car that touches the road
Replace at 6 years old, even with good tread (our guide). Alignment every 10,000 to 15,000 km (our guide)
- Battery
The small 12-volt battery that powers the car's computers. The big hybrid battery is separate.
Most last about 3 to 5 years
Questions to ask on this Prius
These are for this model. The full list of questions, with tick boxes, is in the PDF.
Can you read me the full VIN from the compliance plate?
Good answer: They read out all 17 characters and the build date without fuss.
Why: The VIN and plate show which generation the car is, and a dealer can check recalls with it.
Has the hybrid battery or the 12-volt battery been replaced, and when?
Good answer: They give a date and have an invoice, or say it is the original battery.
Why: Battery cost is the biggest unknown on this car.
Has the car ever shown a Check Hybrid System message, or been towed?
Good answer: No, or yes with a workshop invoice that shows what was fixed.
Why: It tells you about past hybrid faults.
Words you might see on an invoice
- Hybrid battery or HV battery
- The large battery that helps the petrol engine.
- Inverter
- The box that changes battery power for the electric motors.
- Hybrid control ECU
- The computer that runs the hybrid system. Some recalls fix it with a software update.
- eCVT
- The Prius automatic gearbox with no fixed gears.
- Check hybrid system
- A warning message, not a part. It needs a proper check by a workshop.
Two quick checks at home
All you need is the VIN.
- Recalls: toyota.com.au/toyota-recalls
- Recalls: vehiclerecalls.gov.au
- Money owing: ppsr.gov.au (small fee; check again on the day you pay)
- The PPSR can show money owing, and may also show if a car is stolen or written off.
- A PPSR search costs $2.
- The government site vehiclerecalls.gov.au also lists recalls. Use the VIN.
Free guide or the full guide?
Both are for the exact car you are looking at. Here is what each one holds.
| What it holds | Free guide | Full guide · $29 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 12 pages | Up to 40 pages |
| The engines sold that year, with their codes | Yes | Yes |
| The big-money items, with the question to ask | Yes | Yes, and where each part is and how to check it safely |
| Questions to ask the seller on the phone | Yes | Yes |
| Service history | What to look for on the invoices | A table for the odometer reading, with the jobs that should have been done by now |
| Drawings of the car, the engine bay and the leaks | No | Yes |
| Step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive | No | Yes, with a Yes or No for every check |
| How serious each problem is | A simple scorecard | A colour on every No, and a rough repair budget |
| Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it | No | Yes, if you give them |
| A PDF to print or open on your phone | Yes | Yes |
A look inside the full guide
Four real pages from a full guide for a 2015 Toyota HiLux. We blur most of each page on purpose, so it cannot be copied. Your own guide is clear, and made for your car.
Your car drawn see-through, with the key parts marked
The engine bay, with numbered pins
A Yes or No for every check, with a colour on each No
A rough repair budget from what you tick
General information only, not an inspection of any vehicle. “Our guide” means our recommendation, not a legal rule. Costs are a rough guide. Information current at October 2026: always check the VIN yourself.