2011 Toyota IQ 1.0L Petrol · KY61 FFM

The MOT history for this Toyota IQ reveals a generally sound vehicle with one isolated cluster of defects that were rectified within 24 hours. On 2026-03-23 the car failed on four major items, all of which were straightforward in nature: a near side front position lamp and both registration plate lamps were inoperative, and the off side front upper anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover had deteriorated to the point where it could no longer prevent dirt ingress. The very next day, 2026-03-24, the vehicle was re-presented and passed with no defects recorded, suggesting these were attended to promptly. Prior to this, the car passed cleanly in 2025-04-03 and 2022-10-06, with only a minor windscreen chip noted in 2024-03-05 that did not impede the driver's view. The roadworthiness trend is therefore stable, and there is no recurring pattern of structural or mechanical concern across the testing record. Given that this is the only failure in five years of MOT data, the overall mechanical picture is favourable for a 2011 vehicle. The recorded mileage of 87,471 against a 2011 registration equates to roughly 5,831 miles per year, which is notably low for the vehicle's age. The MOT intervals also show gaps that are consistent with extended periods of low use or the car being off the road: there is a sixteen-month gap between the 2022-10-06 test and the 2024-03-05 test, and a further eleven-month gap before the 2025-04-03 test. For a Toyota IQ, which was designed primarily as a urban runabout, low annual mileage is not unusual, but it does mean that components more prone to degrade from standing rather than wearing, such as brake discs corroding on the surface, rubber seals perishing, and fluid systems accumulating moisture, should be considered. The mileage recorded at each test is not provided in the dataset, so it is not possible to confirm whether any large jumps occurred, but the low annual rate suggests gradual accumulation consistent with light, primarily short-journey use. For a prospective buyer, the most relevant item to investigate is the anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover failure. On inspection, the off side front upper anti-roll bar linkage should be examined for any remaining perished rubber, and the joint itself should be checked for play by rocking the wheel side to side and pushing and pulling it vertically while a second person observes the joint. Any clicking, knocking, or excess movement over uneven road surfaces would indicate the joint has worn beyond what a simple boot replacement can resolve. The lighting faults from the failed test should be verified as fully remedied by checking that all position lamps and registration plate lamps illuminate correctly, including the near side front lamp which was originally flagged. A test drive should include a stretch of rough or speed-bump laden urban road to listen for any clonks from the front suspension, and sharp low-speed cornering to detect any knocking that could point to anti-roll bar wear. Although the MOT record is largely free of advisories, the low mileage and multi-month testing gaps warrant a broader health check of items that MOT testing does not cover. Brake disc surfaces should be inspected for severe pitting or lip corrosion from infrequent use, and the handbrake mechanism, which can seize on lightly used cars, should be confirmed to hold on a steep incline. Tyres should be examined for sidewall cracking, which is common on low-mileage vehicles that have aged in one position, and the age of the rubber should be checked. Engine oil and coolant should be inspected for condition, and a cold start should be performed to confirm there are no unusual sounds or excessive smoke from exhaust components that may have suffered from condensation sitting in the system. Given the car passed its most recent test with no defects after a prompt repair, and the only advisory in five years is a minor windscreen chip, this Toyota IQ presents as a mechanically tidy proposition provided the suspension joint repair is verified and the usual checks for a low-mileage, intermittently used city car are carried out.