Toyota Hilux Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Toyota Hilux 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 127,110 MOT tests across 32 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: large car | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
79%
Toyota Hilux pass rate
84%
Toyota average
82%
All-model average
The Toyota Hilux 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 Hiluxs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 4 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Toyota Hilux Fails Its MOT On
Of the 20,414 MOT tests on the Toyota Hilux 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
50%Cars and vans the same age: 38% (the Hilux fails on this more often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
40%Cars and vans the same age: 23% (the Hilux fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
36%Cars and vans the same age: 32% · Typical repair £150-£600
Body, chassis and structure
24%Cars and vans the same age: 12% (the Hilux fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
16%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements (9.3% of failed tests, brakes)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (9.2% 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 Hilux 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 Hilux 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
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same 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 Hilux 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Diesel | 2.8L | 81% | 17% | 93% (-12) |
| 2020 | Diesel | 2.4L | 88% | 11% | 92% (-4) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 2.4L | 88% | 11% | 91% (-3) |
| 2018 | Diesel | 2.4L | 88% | 12% | 89% (-1) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 2.4L | 86% | 13% | 87% (-1) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.4L | 82% | 17% | 86% (-4) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.5L | 79% | 20% | 84% (-5) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 3.0L | 78% | 22% | 82% (-4) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 2.4L | 76% | 23% | 80% (-4) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 2.5L | 75% | 23% | 79% (-4) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 2.5L | 73% | 25% | 77% (-4) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 26% | 75% (-2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 25% | 75% (-2) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.4L | 73% | 26% | 74% (-1) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 3.4L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.2L | 72% | 26% | 73% (-1) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 3.0L | 71% | 27% | 72% (-1) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 26% | 72% (+1) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.4L | 70% | 29% | 73% (-3) |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.4L | 70% | 29% | 73% (-3) |
| 2000 | Diesel | 2.4L | 72% | 27% | - |
| 1999 | Diesel | 2.4L | 72% | 28% | 75% (-3) |
| 1998 | Diesel | 2.4L | 72% | 27% | 76% (-4) |
| 1997 | Diesel | 2.4L | 74% | 25% | - |
| 1996 | Diesel | 2.4L | 72% | 27% | 77% (-5) |
| 1995 | Diesel | 2.4L | 76% | 24% | - |
| 1994 | Diesel | 2.4L | 75% | 25% | - |
| 1993 | Diesel | 2.4L | 81% | 18% | - |
| 1992 | Diesel | 2.4L | 85% | 15% | - |
| 1991 | Petrol | 3.9L | 78% | 22% | - |
| 1990 | Petrol | 1.8L | 76% | 24% | - |
Toyota Hilux Running Costs
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Toyota Hilux FAQ
What are the most common Toyota Hilux problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Toyota Hilux that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (50% of the 20,414 failed tests), brakes (40%) and suspension (36%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (14%). Across 127,110 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 79% ended in a pass.
Is the Toyota Hilux reliable?
The Toyota Hilux has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, from 127,110 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 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Toyota Hilux years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2021 (81% of 1,038 tests passed, against 93% for all 2021 cars), the 2015 (79% of 10,417 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars) and the 1996 (72% of 1,000 tests passed, against 77% for all 1996 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. 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 Hilux faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Toyota Hilux 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.
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Other Toyota Models
Common problems pages for other Toyota models