Toyota Estima Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Toyota Estima 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 41,517 MOT tests across 23 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: large car | Fuel: Hybrid, Petrol
87%
Toyota Estima pass rate
84%
Toyota average
82%
All-model average
The Toyota Estima has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 3 points above the Toyota average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Toyota Estimas pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 7 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Toyota Estima Fails Its MOT On
Of the 4,351 MOT tests on the Toyota Estima 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
62%Cars and vans the same age: 40% (the Estima fails on this more often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
29%Cars and vans the same age: 35% · Typical repair £150-£600
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
17%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
Brakes
16%Cars and vans the same age: 23% (the Estima fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
15%Cars and vans the same age: 21% (the Estima fails on this less often) · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (17% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Rear fog lamp: not working (13% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Steering linkage ball joint dust cover no longer keeps dirt out (9.9% of failed tests, suspension)
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 Estima 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 Estima 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
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 Estima 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 100% | 0% | - |
| 2023 | Petrol | 2.4L | 93% | 4% | - |
| 2022 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 84% | 13% | - |
| 2021 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 81% | 18% | - |
| 2020 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 80% | 19% | 92% (-12) |
| 2019 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 88% | 11% | 91% (-3) |
| 2018 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 89% | 10% | 89% (0) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 2.4L | 91% | 9% | 87% (+4) |
| 2016 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 88% | 12% | 86% (+2) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 2.4L | 87% | 12% | 84% (+3) |
| 2014 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 90% | 10% | 82% (+8) |
| 2013 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 91% | 8% | 80% (+11) |
| 2012 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 91% | 9% | 79% (+12) |
| 2011 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 87% | 12% | 77% (+10) |
| 2010 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 87% | 13% | 75% (+12) |
| 2009 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 87% | 12% | 75% (+12) |
| 2008 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 86% | 13% | 74% (+12) |
| 2007 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 83% | 17% | 73% (+10) |
| 2006 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 83% | 16% | 73% (+10) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 2.4L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 2004 | Hybrid | 2.4L | 77% | 22% | - |
| 2003 | Petrol | 0.0L | 74% | 25% | - |
| 2002 | Petrol | 2.4L | 68% | 30% | - |
Toyota Estima Running Costs
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Toyota Estima FAQ
What are the most common Toyota Estima problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Toyota Estima that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (62% of the 4,351 failed tests), suspension (29%) and windscreen, wipers and mirrors (17%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (17%). Across 41,517 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Toyota Estima reliable?
The Toyota Estima has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 41,517 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 8 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Toyota Estima years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2020 (80% of 1,189 tests passed, against 92% for all 2020 cars) and the 2019 (88% of 1,599 tests passed, against 91% for all 2019 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2012 (91% of 4,455 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars), the 2010 (87% of 3,823 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars) and the 2009 (87% of 3,463 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 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 Estima faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Toyota Estima 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 Estima
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Other Toyota Models
Common problems pages for other Toyota models