2012 Toyota Yaris 1.5L Hybrid electric (clean) · GF62 VFN

A fourteen-year-old Toyota Yaris showing 87,720 miles presents a broadly stable MOT history that is not without incident. The most recent test on 5 June 2026 was a clean pass with no advisories, continuing an improving trend over the last three cycles. However, two failures were recorded within a compressed window in early 2021 and early 2022, both relating to tyre condition and, in the former case, a headlamp defect. The intervening years have been quiet, with the only advisory of note being a deteriorating track rod end dust cover flagged on the offside front in May 2025, alongside a paired advisory on both rear brake pads in February 2023. Overall, the test record reflects a vehicle that has cleared DVSA standards consistently in the last four cycles, but one whose earlier failures should not be ignored when assessing current condition. Against an age of approximately fourteen years, the recorded mileage equates to around 6,266 miles per year, which sits broadly in line with typical UK usage for a small hatchback of this era. There are no extended gaps between tests that would suggest prolonged off-road storage, and the test frequency between 2021 and 2026 indicates continuous use with annual mileage accumulating at a steady, unremarkable rate. This kind of usage profile means routine wear items such as tyres, brake components, and suspension linkages will have been worked, but not excessively so. A prospective buyer should still expect age-related deterioration of rubber and plastic components regardless of the modest annual mileage. The most directly relevant component flagged in the recent record is the offside front track rod end ball joint, whose dust cover was recorded as damaged in May 2025. While the examiner noted that ingress of dirt was still being prevented, a perished boot on a steering linkage is a precursor to accelerated joint wear once grit penetrates. On a test drive, listen for any knocking or clonking from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly when turning into a kerb or rotating the steering from lock to lock with the wheels unloaded. A worn joint will typically present as a rattle or click under load rather than over smooth tarmac. Equally, the brake pad advisories from 2023 indicate that the rear pads have been on the watch list for some time, and any inspection should include a measurement of remaining friction material as well as a check for scoring or lipping on the rear brake discs, which tend to wear in tandem with pad replacement. The tyre-related failures in 2021 and 2022, including a dangerous tread depth reading on the offside front and a deep cut on the nearside, are worth examining not as isolated events but as evidence that tyre condition has previously been allowed to reach an unacceptable state. A close visual inspection of all four tyres for cracking in the sidewalls, uneven shoulder wear, and current tread depth is warranted, with particular attention to the fronts given their steering and braking duties. The 2021 headlamp failure should prompt verification that both dipped beams function correctly and that the lens units are not heavily oxidised, which can compound beam pattern issues on a vehicle of this age. Finally, the absence of any recorded advisories relating to corrosion, suspension bushes, or exhaust integrity across the visible history is a positive indicator, but a thorough underside examination remains advisable given the vehicle's age and the typical rust-prone areas on Yaris models of this generation, particularly around the rear axle and suspension mounting points.