Parts for your 2020 Toyota Prius-Universal joints

2020 Toyota Prius universal joints — what’s actually fitted?

Short answer: a 2020 Toyota Prius doesn’t use universal joints (U‑joints) in its driveline. The front drive shafts use constant‑velocity (CV) joints, and even the AWD‑e (E‑Four) variants don’t have a tailshaft with U‑joints. That’s straight from Toyota’s own technical literature: the Prius New Car Features (ZVW50/51/55) details FWD front half‑shafts with Rzeppa-type outer CV joints and tripod/double-offset inner CV joints, while the E‑Four AWD‑e system drives the rear wheels with an on‑demand electric motor unit mounted at the rear axle—no propeller shaft, no U‑joints. The Toyota Repair Manual’s Drivetrain/Axle sections for the 2020 Prius also specify CV joints only. Automotive engineering texts (e.g., SAE materials on front‑drive layouts) back this up: FWD cars need constant velocity through large steering angles, which is what CV joints deliver, traditional U‑joints introduce speed fluctuation at angles and aren’t suitable for front half‑shafts.

Why U‑joints aren’t used here comes down to function and packaging. On a FWD hybrid like the Prius, each front half‑shaft must transmit smooth, constant torque while the wheels steer and the suspension moves. CV joints maintain constant angular velocity across the joint, so there’s no vibration from speed variation. U‑joints, by design, change output speed relative to input when angled, which would cause shudder and wear in a FWD application. On AWD‑e models, Toyota’s rear electric drive unit is integrated at the axle, eliminating the long prop shaft a conventional AWD car would need—so there’s simply nowhere a driveline U‑joint would be used.

One small caveat: like most modern cars, the Prius steering column typically uses a small cross‑type joint on the intermediate steering shaft. That’s a steering component, not a driveline U‑joint, and it’s serviced separately from axles and hubs.

Technical sources referenced: Toyota New Car Features (NCF) for Prius ZVW50/51/55 (Drivetrain/Axle and E‑Four sections), Toyota Repair Manual (RM) for 2020 Prius Drivetrain/Axle/Front Drive Shaft procedures, and standard SAE guidance on FWD/CV joint design versus universal joints.

FAQs

Does a 2020 Toyota Prius have universal joints in the driveline?
No. The 2020 Prius uses CV joints on the front drive shafts, and the AWD‑e variants have a rear electric drive unit with no prop shaft, so there are no driveline U‑joints fitted.

What joints are on the Prius front axles?
The front half‑shafts use Rzeppa‑type outer CV joints and tripod/double‑offset inner CV joints. These allow smooth power delivery through steering and suspension movement.

Is there any universal joint on a 2020 Prius at all?
Typically, yes—but in the steering system. The intermediate steering shaft commonly uses a small U‑joint. It’s unrelated to the drivetrain and is serviced as a steering component.