Toyota Auris: common problems, best years and what to check
Reliable family hatch; the hybrid is the one to have. Covers 2008–2019 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Toyota Auris a good used buy?
Best buy
2013–2019 1.8 Hybrid
Avoid
high-mile 1ZR with oil use
Who it suits: Drivers who want a sensible, ultra-reliable family hatch.
What's good
- Excellent reliability
- Hybrid is frugal in town
- Comfortable
- Estate version
What's not
- Dull to drive
- CVT drone
- Plain interior
- Replaced by Corolla
By the numbers
- #62 most common model on UK roads, with about 134k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2015: 16.4k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 35% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: Inverter coolant pump / EGR cooler (older cars) (up to £900).
Toyota Auris common problems by generation and engine
Toyota Auris E150 (2007–2012) · hatch
How to spot it: 07 plate to 12 plate. Bulbous hatch with a high centre console 'bridge'.
1.33 / 1.6 VVT-i (1NR / 1ZR, petrol, 2007–2012)
Reliable
- Oil consumption (1ZR)£0–£80080k+
Toyota Auris E180 (2012–2019) · hatch/Touring Sports
How to spot it: 12 plate to 19 plate. Sharper body; 2015 facelift has a slim upper grille.
1.8 Hybrid (2ZR-FXE, hybrid, 2012–2019)
Very reliable and frugal in town
- Inverter coolant pump / EGR cooler (older cars)£300–£900100k+
1.2 T (8NR, petrol, 2015–2019)
Turbo petrol; reliable
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Toyota Auris years
How many Toyota Auriss from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Toyota Auris MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Toyota Auriss pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (73% vs 69%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59% | 57% | 102k miles |
| 2009 | 62% | 58% | 94k miles |
| 2010 | 63% | 59% | 94k miles |
| 2011 | 64% | 61% | 91k miles |
| 2012 | 66% | 63% | 87k miles |
| 2013 | 75% | 66% | 82k miles |
| 2014 | 76% | 69% | 83k miles |
| 2015 | 77% | 72% | 78k miles |
| 2016 | 79% | 75% | 69k miles |
| 2017 | 80% | 78% | 63k miles |
| 2018 | 81% | 81% | 60k miles |
| 2019 | 78% | 84% | 69k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Hybrid
Petrol
Diesel
Electric
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working4.66 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working4.19 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.82 per 100
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps2.49 per 100
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam2.46 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.37 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.31 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.96 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm18.31 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn15.65 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded14.45 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened14.42 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear13.67 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.36 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded5.47 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn5.08 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Toyota Auris have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All engines | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Toyota Auris running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Toyota Auris ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Electric / hybrid
Toyota Auris vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Auris | 134k | 6–18 | 360 l | 2013–2019 1.8 Hybrid |
| Volkswagen Golf | 802k | 10–33 | 380 l | 2013–2020 Mk7/7.5 1.4/1.5 TSI or 2.0 TDI manual |
| Ford Focus | 779k | 4–22 | 375 l | 2018+ Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost/1.5 EcoBlue manual or Mk3 1.6 TDCi |
| Honda Civic | 186k | 9–33 | 478 l | 2012–2017 Mk9 1.8 i-VTEC or 1.6 i-DTEC; 2022+ e:HEV |
| Kia Ceed | 120k | 11–22 | 395 l | 2018+ CD 1.5 T-GDi |
| Hyundai i30 | 103k | 8–33 | 395 l | 2017+ PD 1.0/1.5 T-GDi or i30 N |
What to check when buying a used Toyota Auris
- Hybrid health check history
Toyota Auris FAQ
›Is the Toyota Auris reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2013–2019 1.8 Hybrid. Avoid: high-mile 1ZR with oil use.
›What is the Toyota Auris MOT pass rate?
73% of Toyota Auriss passed their MOT first time in 2025 (124,728 tests), better than the 69% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Toyota Auris problems?
The costliest known faults are Inverter coolant pump / EGR cooler; Oil consumption. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Toyota Auris have a timing belt or chain?
All engines: chain.
›What is the best year Toyota Auris to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Toyota Auris cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.8 Hybrid 55–65 mpg; 1.33/1.6 petrol 40–46 mpg. Insurance groups 6–18. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Toyota Auris?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Toyota Auris ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.