Your vehicleHome›Toyota›Venza› 2021

Toyota · Compact SUV

2021 Toyota Venza

Hybrid

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

89 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints15 crash · 12 injured reported 188

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 39 mpg

2024 2023 2022 2021

The 2021 Toyota Venza is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact SUV. The most efficient version, the Venza AWD, is EPA-rated at 39 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 188 complaints, most often about the visibility/wiper. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Toyota Venza — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Toyota Venza · Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Venza AWD	Hybrid	AWD	2.5L 4-cyl + 245V Li-Ion and NiMH	40	37	39	$1,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42912.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Venza AWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

176 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: AXUH85L). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	186.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	65.7 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	63.8 in
Curb weight	3,847 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

22TA03, 22LA01

458,110 vehicles 98% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems." Risk Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V239000 reported Apr 13, 2022 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Exterior Lighting

22TB01/22TA01

41,544 vehicles 98% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 Venza Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear turn signal LED lights, allowing condensation to form on the circuit board, and causing a short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk A short circuit can cause dimming or failure of the rear turn signals and hazard lights, reducing the vehicle's visibility to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs and replace the rear turn signal light assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 18, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available by June 30, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TB01/22TA01.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V033000 reported Jan 26, 2022 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Venza

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Toyota publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Toyota’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Toyota Venza, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

188complaints filed

15 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 12 injuries · 0 deaths reported

24 per 10,000 built · Toyota reported 79,407 Venza built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2021: 34 · 2022: 74 · 2023: 25 · 2024: 26 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 10

Most-cited components

Visibility/Wiper 79

Unspecified 42

Exterior Lighting 16

Electrical System 15

Fuel/Propulsion System 14

Service Brakes 13

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

While driving we noticed a line in the windshield. After inspection we realized that the line is actually a crack. It started at the base in the right corner (passenger side). No rocks or any impact with any objects

Structure Nov 26, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11441751

i am writing to complain of cracking the vehicle windshield. the vehicle is a Toyota Venza 2021 and it has been cracked very soon after two weeks that I have got from dealership. i think that is very vulnerable part of this new vehicle and is a malfunction, since my other past vehicles never had such failures in the winshield like this.

Visibility/Wiper Oct 30, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11438760

2021 Toyota Venza Steering assist feature creates a safety hazard. The steering assist works with the cruise control and lane departure. When on, it appears that the steering assist picks up its position or centers the vehicle in the lane from the nearest white line on the right side.

Steering Oct 17, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11437077

I just purchased the 2021 Venza a week ago. I was not aware of the fuel tank issue with the RAV4. When I filled up my Venza I noticed that it was not filling up to the full 14.5 gallons as stated by Toyota. I would assume that there maybe some reserve gas in the tank.

Fuel/Propulsion System Oct 14, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11436748

multiple times PCS (pre-collision warning system) would go off only in city driving when i was passing a car that had turned right (and just completing turn)-approximately 45 degrees to from right of my car. The dealer said my car needed front wheel alignment and said that had been the problem.

Forward Collision Avoidance Sep 20, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11433683

Re: Complaint, rear turn signals Purchase new Toyota Venza on 8/12/21. Several complaints with the vehicle after a couple of days after driving. Programming and setting up all of the features is very complicated and the instructional manual does not match the vehicle.

Exterior Lighting Aug 17, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11429470

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Toyota itself: 91 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 112 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 115 per 100,000 built. Every Venza model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 15k

miles, typically

Half the 12 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 5,000 and 18,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 12 on file: 5 under 10k, 4 10k–20k, 2 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Driver-assist crash reports (3)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01

3reports filed

1 no injury reported · 2 severity unknown

Nov 2022 to Aug 2023 · 1 with an air bag deployment · 3 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: L2 (2), TSS 2.0 (1)

Crash partner: Other 3

Filed by: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Incident	System	Struck	Injury alleged	State	Speed	Report
Aug 2023	Level 2 · TSS 2.0	Other	no injury reported	MI	85 mph	1306-6035
Apr 2023	Level 2 · L2	Other	unknown	OR	63 mph	1306-5424
Nov 2022	Level 2 · L2	Other	unknown	KY	60 mph	1306-4286

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

Toyota received an allegation related to this crash on April 11, 2023, and later on April 14, 2023 from the owner and driver of the vehicle through a call to the Toyota Brand Engagement Center.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing report 1306-5424 Apr 2023 NHTSA SGO filing

The entries in this report are based on unconfirmed allegations. Toyota received a contact on Nov. [redacted], 2022 in which the customer stated that, "he had an accident, and it was a total loss and he wanted to let Toyota know he had a newborn and his wife and him is okay.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing report 1306-4286 Nov 2022 NHTSA SGO filing

Entries in this report are based on unconfirmed allegations. On August 9, 2023, Toyota received an allegation related to this crash from the vehicle owner and mother of the driver who was operating the vehicle during the crash event.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing report 1306-6035 Aug 2023 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Toyota warranty extension 24TE04This Customer Support Program provides coverage as it applies to Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak on Certain 2019-2021 Avalon & Avalon HV, 2018-2021 Camry & Camry HV, Certain 2020-2021 Corolla…
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Toyota warranty extension 22TE09Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about…

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Toyota warranty extension (10) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 157

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-20

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 147 service bulletins, 7 service campaigns, 3 warranty extensions

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Structure, Back Over Prevention.

T-SB-0110-20 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.
T-SB-0051-26 Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Engine
This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries.
24TE04 Warranty extension
2026-08-11 · Engine
Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak.
22TE09 Warranty extension
2026-05-14 · Electrical System
Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing extended coverage under this Customer Support Program for repairs related to excessive corrosion to the wire harness connections at the Rear Mo
T-SB-0104-21 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-02-27 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-01-30 · Electrical System
OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
T-SB-0001-26 Service bulletin
2026-01-28 · Electrical System
Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-01-07 · Unknown Or Other
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interi

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
B15DB B15DB on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.1%

failed emissions

2,858 initial inspections of 2,800 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 Venza	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.1%	1.9%	2,854
Failed the safety inspection	1.6%	1.5%	2,858
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.10%	0.19%	2,858
Miles driven a year	10,791	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	56,929	54,681	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Venza by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2024 B 3 25 39 mpg 2023 B 3 21 39 mpg 2022 A 1 42 39 mpg 2021 this page B 2 188 39 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Venza

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Toyota Venza have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Toyota Venza. The most serious on file is 22V239000, covering Electronic Stability Control (Esc). 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Toyota Venza?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Toyota Venza 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (89/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Toyota Venza?

For the 2021 Toyota Venza, the best EPA combined figure is 39 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Toyota Venza?

Transport Canada measured it at 186.6 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.7 in tall, on a 105.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,847 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Toyota Venza?

Owners have filed 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Venza, most often about visibility/wiper, unspecified, exterior lighting. Of those, 15 involved a crash, 12 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Toyota Venza?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Toyota Venza is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Venza?

The manufacturer has filed 157 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Venza, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-20. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Toyota Venza do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Toyota Venza failed the emissions check on 1.1% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	1 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	1 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	188	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	157	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	3	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API