You paid about $20K too much.

41k for 2020 Prius w/ 60k mileage (...) was used as an Uber service. Did I make a mistake buying this?

YES.

I really needed a car so I had the thought that it should be at least a hybrid if not an EV.

Why? HEVs can be sweet -

BUT realize that you got a 2 year old car with millage that was used in the city and probably not properly maintained.

Let's say you would've bough a brand new non-Hybrid corolla, after markups these are like 25k and are rated at 33mpg.

Let's say gas will be $9 and that you'll drive 200k, to really make the odds of that investment  in your favor -

you still will loose a lot of money on it compared even to a gasoline car!

Hybrids are good, if and only if, you buy them brand new and don't over pay.

I'd try to order a new hybrid (like a corolla hybrid) and try to recoup the loss by selling at purchase price.

CALCULATIONS AND ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

If you don't believe me, here's the calculations:

Using official FuelEconomy.Gov figures: (which for Toyota models are usually accurate with in 10%-15%)

33 [mpg] = 33 [miles per gallon] = 33 [mile/gallon] -> 1 / 33 [miles/ 1 gallon] = 0.030 [gallon / 1 mile]

52 [mpg] = 52 [miles per gallon] = 52 [mile/gallon] -> 1 / 52 [miles/ 1 gallon] = 0.019 [gallon / 1 mile]

We can calculate an efficiency difference between conventional petrol and a hybrid:

efficiency difference = 0.03 - 0.019 = 0.011 [gallons/mile] (IN FAVOR OF PRIUS)

let X be millage, let P be price of a gallon:

efficiency difference [gallon / 1 mile] * millage X [miles] = efficiency difference [gallons (over X miles)]

efficiency difference [gallons (over X miles)] * fuel price P [USD per gallon] = fuel price difference [USD (over X miles)]

So using the efficiency as calcualted above,

0.011 gallon per mile difference * 200,000 miles = 2,200 gallon difference over 200k miles

Assuming $9 per gallon,

2,200 [gallon difference over 200k miles] * 9 [USD per gallon] = $19,800 [fuel price difference]

$19,800 is less than the $21,000 markup - not to mention that the Prius has millage so it will live less.

That is a $1,200 LOSS.

If you would have bough a new HEV at MSRP - the savings would have been huge, but at $41k it's a loss.

MEANING THAT, even when using all variables that would have favored your choice - you are still at a loss.

IF you are compering a new gasoline VS a new HEV at the same price and you drive a lot, you can't afford to not get a HEV.

IF the HEV is marked up, it is NOT a wise move - even at $9 a gallon, a reality I live in outside of the US.

ADDITIONALLY CONSIDER:

VALVUE LOST (as I predict it, I might be off)

You paid $41k for a 2 year old car, when car prices normalize, it will be ~$13k - $28k LOST ON DEPRECIATION.

If it would have been new at MSRP, it would have been ~$25k paid and ~15k when prices normalize - $10K LOST.

(60k miles less, previous owner, age, discontinued car - all WILL affect the future value of the car)

So it's a $18k more lost on depreciation.

COMFORT DIFFERENCE (compared to cars that are actually worth around 40k or less)

And the fact that for $35k you could have went to a Lexus dealer and bough a new LEXUS UX250h hybrid 'SUV'. Costs $6k less and, gets slightly less mpg but is still just an amazing car to drive - much better than any Toyota, because that's a proper luxury crossover.

Car prices are so out of whack. If you need a car, you need a car.

Scotty usually doesn’t recommend buying hybrids used. Me in the other hand, if it checks out, it was well maintained, and the price is right, I am okay with it. 

If it wasn’t a hybrid, I would be concerned that it was used as an Uber. Uber drivers usually do a lot of starts and stops in the city. Which is worse for engine wear. But on a hybrid, you have the electric motor helping out, so it’s not as bad.

As far as the price, it sounds like a lot for me, but I am used to pre pandemic pricing. I can’t even imagine how folks are buying cars in this time.  Prices are crazy, but like I said above, you gotta do what you gotta do.