We purchased a 2014 Toyota Prius from USA Motors in September 2023. The vehicle came with a hybrid battery warranty because the hybrid battery had some work done to it. Regrettably, we went through 4 batteries in 4 months, and each time the hybrid battery fails you can't drive the car until it is fixed. The last "warranty" replacement, the battery tech (owner of Hyper Hybrids in Phoenix) casually informed me that he is lucky if any of his batteries last a full year. It appears that what Hyper Hybrids is doing is taking old battery packs, cannibalizing them for parts, and then slapping them in new cars and calling the battery refurbished.
We ultimately had to pay an additional $3200 to have a brand-new hybrid battery put into the car. I contacted USA Motors to negotiate sharing of the expense to make the car fully whole as the initial work and warranty that Hyper Hybrids had provided was woefully insufficient. After engaging a consumer advocate to assist in the negotiation, we came to acceptable terms. Prior to the battery debacle, the experience with the dealer had been positive. I have updated my review and star rating to reflect the total experience.
For those considering used hybrid cars in general, not just from USA Motors, please note that an independent vehicle inspection may not reveal a battery issue. It took roughly six weeks with each battery for the vehicle to determine there was a fault. Wherever possible, negotiate for a hybrid battery warranty. read more