Toyota Aygo: common problems, best years and what to check
Tiny, cheap and nearly unbreakable; perfect first car. Covers 2008–2024 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 Aygo a good used buy?
Best buy
2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual
Avoid
x-shift automated manual
Who it suits: Town drivers who want the cheapest, most reliable small car to run.
What's good
- Very cheap to run and insure
- Reliable three-cylinder engine
- Easy to park
- Aygo X adds a raised seat
What's not
- Slow on motorways
- Tiny boot
- Noisy at speed
- x-shift automatic is jerky
By the numbers
- #21 most common model on UK roads, with about 279k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2015: 22.8k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 58% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: x-shift automated manual jerky (up to £1,000).
Toyota Aygo common problems by generation and engine
Toyota Aygo Mk1 (2005–2014) · city car
How to spot it: 05 plate to 14 plate. Tiny bubble shape with a glass tailgate; twin of the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107.
1.0 VVT-i 68ps (1KR-FE, petrol, 2008–2014)
Bulletproof and cheap
- Clutch wear (city use)£300–£50040k+
Faults on any Mk1 (2005–2014) engine
- Rear windows/hatch glass hinge cracks£100–£250any
- Water leaks into cabin£0–£200any
Toyota Aygo Mk2 (2014–2022) · city car
How to spot it: 14 plate to 22 plate. Big black 'X' across the front bumper.
1.0 VVT-i 69/72ps (1KR-FE, petrol, 2014–2022)
Same tough engine
Faults on any Mk2 (2014–2022) engine
- x-shift automated manual jerky£0–£1,000any · Check: Prefer the manual
Toyota Aygo Aygo X (2022–) · city crossover
How to spot it: 22 plate onwards. Taller crossover look with a two-tone roof and chunky wheel arches.
1.0 VVT-i 72ps (1KR-FE, petrol, 2022–)
Reliable
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Toyota Aygo years
How many Toyota Aygos 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, 2014, 2015, 2016. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Toyota Aygo MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Toyota Aygos pass their MOT first time 3 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (77% vs 74%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 53% | 57% | 84k miles |
| 2009 | 58% | 58% | 78k miles |
| 2010 | 59% | 59% | 77k miles |
| 2011 | 61% | 61% | 73k miles |
| 2012 | 63% | 63% | 69k miles |
| 2013 | 68% | 66% | 63k miles |
| 2014 | 74% | 69% | 58k miles |
| 2015 | 80% | 72% | 52k miles |
| 2016 | 82% | 75% | 46k miles |
| 2017 | 84% | 78% | 41k miles |
| 2018 | 86% | 81% | 34k miles |
| 2019 | 86% | 84% | 29k miles |
| 2020 | 87% | 86% | 24k miles |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% | 20k miles |
| 2022 | 94% | 89% | 15k miles |
| 2023 | 94% | 92% | 14k miles |
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working2.87 per 100
- Service brake performance: excessively binding2.72 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.51 per 100
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength2.43 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.41 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.08 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.05 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.57 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tyres: has a tear23.96 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm17.6 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened12.82 per 100
- Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12.13 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn10.59 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded9.68 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5.54 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded5.2 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 Aygo have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 1KR | chain | durable | £400–£700 |
Toyota Aygo 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 Aygo ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- 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
Toyota Aygo vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Aygo | 279k | 2–8 | 168 l | 2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual |
| Hyundai i10 | 269k | 1–7 | 252 l | 2014+ i10 1.0/1.2 manual |
| Kia Picanto | 199k | 1–9 | 255 l | 2017+ JA 1.0/1.25 manual |
| Volkswagen up! | 130k | 1–10 | 251 l | 1.0 MPI 75 manual or up! GTI |
| Fiat 500 | 400k | 3–19 | 185 l | 2016+ facelift 1.2 manual |
| Citroen C1 | 147k | 1–8 | 196 l | 2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual |
What to check when buying a used Toyota Aygo
- Manual is better than x-shift
- Check clutch on city cars
Toyota Aygo FAQ
›Is the Toyota Aygo reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual. Avoid: x-shift automated manual.
›What is the Toyota Aygo MOT pass rate?
77% of Toyota Aygos passed their MOT first time in 2025 (225,046 tests), better than the 74% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Toyota Aygo problems?
The costliest known faults are Clutch wear. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Toyota Aygo have a timing belt or chain?
1.0 1KR: chain.
›What is the best year Toyota Aygo 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 Aygo cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.0 VVT-i 50–58 mpg. Insurance groups 2–8. A minor service is about £120–£170 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Toyota Aygo?
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 Aygo 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.