Toyota Avensis Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Toyota Avensis fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 109,012 MOT tests across 21 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
79%
Toyota Avensis pass rate
84%
Toyota average
82%
All-model average
The Toyota Avensis has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, which is 5 points below the Toyota average and 3 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Toyota Avensiss pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 9 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Toyota Avensis Fails Its MOT On
Of the 19,019 MOT tests on the Toyota Avensis that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
52%Cars and vans the same age: 45% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
30%Cars and vans the same age: 38% (the Avensis fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
27%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
18%Cars and vans the same age: 18% · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
16%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (18% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (9.7% of failed tests, suspension)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (7.3% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Toyota Avensis Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Avensis year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
- 1999: 70% passed, against 75% for all 1999 cars (5 points lower, 1,232 tests)
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Toyota Avensis Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.8L | 88% | 12% | 89% (-1) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 2.0L | 88% | 12% | 87% (+1) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.0L | 87% | 12% | 86% (+1) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 14% | 84% (+1) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 83% | 17% | 82% (+1) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 82% | 18% | 80% (+2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 81% | 18% | 79% (+2) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.6L | 79% | 20% | 77% (+2) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 79% | 21% | 75% (+4) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.6L | 77% | 22% | 75% (+2) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 74% (+1) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 73% (+2) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.0L | 73% | 26% | 73% (0) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.0L | 76% | 24% | 72% (+4) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 72% (+3) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.0L | 76% | 22% | 73% (+3) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.8L | 70% | 29% | 75% (-5) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | - |
Toyota Avensis Running Costs
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Toyota Avensis FAQ
What are the most common Toyota Avensis problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Toyota Avensis that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (52% of the 19,019 failed tests), suspension (30%) and brakes (27%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (18%). Across 109,012 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 79% ended in a pass.
Is the Toyota Avensis reliable?
The Toyota Avensis has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, from 109,012 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Toyota Avensis years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 1999 (70% of 1,232 tests passed, against 75% for all 1999 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2010 (79% of 9,581 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars), the 2004 (76% of 4,759 tests passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars) and the 2003 (75% of 3,437 tests passed, against 72% for all 2003 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Toyota Avensis faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Toyota Avensis typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
Check a Specific Toyota Avensis
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Other Toyota Models
Common problems pages for other Toyota models