2009 Toyota Prius 1.8L Hybrid electric · AP59 LCU

The vehicle remains roadworthy but the maintenance history reveals a concerning trend of progressive mechanical wear and deferred repairs. While the most recent test on 26 May 2026 at 286,670 miles was a pass, it carried significant advisories including a minor exhaust leak, play in the steering rack inner joints, and a nearside rear tyre reaching the legal limit. The recurring failure of consecutive MOT tests suggests the owner only performs the minimum repairs required to pass the inspection rather than addressing underlying mechanical degradation. This Toyota Prius has covered exceptionally high mileage for its 17-year age, averaging approximately 17,000 miles per year. Between the June 2025 and May 2026 tests, the vehicle clocked 40,864 miles in just eleven months. This rapid accumulation of mileage puts extreme strain on the hybrid drivetrain components, braking system, and suspension assembly. The persistence of steering rack issues and wishbone bushes across multiple years indicates that the vehicle is nearing the end of the service life for several major structural components. A buyer must prioritise a thorough inspection of the steering and suspension geometry. The play in the steering rack inner joints has been documented since at least 2024 and remains unresolved, which will affect handling precision and cause uneven tyre wear. The offside front anti-roll bar ball joint failed in 2026, and previous records of worn wishbone bushes suggest the entire front suspension assembly is failing systematically. Furthermore, the minor exhaust leak noted in the latest test requires monitoring to ensure it does not develop into a structural failure of the manifold or system in the near future.