Toyota Yaris: common problems, best years and what to check
One of the most reliable cars on UK roads; hybrids are a top used buy. 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 CarXCheck team · How we build this guide
Is the Toyota Yaris a good used buy?
Best buy
2012–2020 1.5 Hybrid or 2020+ 1.5 Hybrid
Avoid
MMT automated manual (2008–2011)
Who it suits: Anyone who values reliability above all and wants a small car that just keeps going.
What's good
- Excellent reliability record
- Hybrid is very economical in town
- Long Toyota Relax warranty possible
- Cheap to run and insure
What's not
- Hybrid CVT drones when accelerating hard
- Older interiors are plain and plasticky
- MMT automated manual (2008–2011) is jerky
- Small boot on the 2020 car
By the numbers
- #9 most common model on UK roads, with about 469k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2023: 41.9k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 67% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: Hybrid battery ages after 10+ years (up to £2,500).
Toyota Yaris common problems by generation and engine
Toyota Yaris XP90 (2006–2011) · hatch
How to spot it: 06 plate to 11 plate. Rounded bubble shape with a centre-mounted digital speedo.
1.0 / 1.33 VVT-i (1KR / 1NR, petrol, 2008–2011)
Very durable
Faults on any XP90 (2006–2011) engine
- MMT automated manual clutch actuator£600–£1,400any · Check: Avoid MMT
Toyota Yaris XP130 (2011–2020) · hatch; Hybrid
How to spot it: 11 plate to 20 plate. More angular body; 2014 facelift has an X-shaped front with a large lower grille.
1.0 / 1.33 / 1.5 VVT-i (1KR / 1NR / 2NR, petrol, 2011–2020)
Reliable
1.5 Hybrid (1NZ-FXE, hybrid, 2012–2020)
Excellent reliability
- Hybrid battery ages after 10+ years£1,000–£2,500150k+ or 12 yrs
- Inverter coolant pump£200–£400any
Faults on any XP130 (2011–2020) engine
- Catalytic converter theft on hybrids£800–£1,500any · Check: Check for cat-shield
Toyota Yaris XP210 (2020–) · hatch; Hybrid; GR Yaris
How to spot it: 20 plate onwards. Short, wide and muscular with a big trapezoid grille; hybrid badges on most cars.
1.5 Hybrid (M15A-FXE, hybrid, 2020–)
Excellent; class-leading economy
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Toyota Yaris years
How many Toyota Yariss 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. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Toyota Yaris MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Toyota Yariss pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (77% vs 73%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 56% | 57% | 94k miles |
| 2009 | 63% | 58% | 84k miles |
| 2010 | 62% | 59% | 82k miles |
| 2011 | 66% | 61% | 75k miles |
| 2012 | 67% | 63% | 73k miles |
| 2013 | 69% | 66% | 67k miles |
| 2014 | 72% | 69% | 61k miles |
| 2015 | 79% | 72% | 56k miles |
| 2016 | 81% | 75% | 49k miles |
| 2017 | 81% | 78% | 43k miles |
| 2018 | 84% | 81% | 38k miles |
| 2019 | 86% | 84% | 31k miles |
| 2020 | 88% | 86% | 27k miles |
| 2021 | 91% | 87% | 24k miles |
| 2022 | 93% | 89% | 19k miles |
| 2023 | 95% | 92% | 18k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Diesel
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 working4.24 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken3.39 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.31 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.37 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.13 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect1.96 per 100
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.94 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid1.64 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.11 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear17.68 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn11.19 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded10.85 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.06 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded7.98 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick4.69 per 100
- Registration plates: inscription illegible4.2 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 Yaris have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0/1.33/1.5 VVT-i | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
| Hybrid 1NZ/M15A | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Toyota Yaris 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 Yaris 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 Yaris vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Yaris | 469k | 4–14 | 286 l | 2012–2020 1.5 Hybrid or 2020+ 1.5 Hybrid |
| Honda Jazz | 277k | 3–15 | 354 l | 2015–2020 Mk3 1.3 i-VTEC or 2020+ e:HEV |
| Ford Fiesta | 1159k | 2–20 | 292 l | 2017–2023 Mk8 1.0 EcoBoost 100/125 manual |
| Volkswagen Polo | 582k | 2–17 | 351 l | 2017+ AW 1.0 TSI 95 manual |
| Renault Clio | 274k | 2–20 | 300 l | 2013–2019 Clio IV 0.9 TCe or 1.5 dCi manual |
| Hyundai i20 | 147k | 3–15 | 352 l | 2015+ GB 1.2 or 1.0 T-GDi |
What to check when buying a used Toyota Yaris
- Avoid the MMT auto on older cars
- Hybrids: ask for hybrid health check
- Fit a cat-shield to hybrids
Toyota Yaris FAQ
›Is the Toyota Yaris reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2012–2020 1.5 Hybrid or 2020+ 1.5 Hybrid. Avoid: MMT automated manual (2008–2011).
›What is the Toyota Yaris MOT pass rate?
77% of Toyota Yariss passed their MOT first time in 2025 (347,116 tests), better than the 73% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Toyota Yaris problems?
The costliest known faults are Hybrid battery ages after 10+ years; Inverter coolant pump. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Toyota Yaris have a timing belt or chain?
1.0/1.33/1.5 VVT-i: chain; Hybrid 1NZ/M15A: chain.
›What is the best year Toyota Yaris 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 Yaris cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.0/1.33 petrol 45–52 mpg; 1.5 Hybrid 55–68 mpg. Insurance groups 4–14. A minor service is about £140–£200 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Toyota Yaris?
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 Yaris 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.