2007 Toyota Yaris 1.3L Petrol · LS57 RRY

The vehicle most recently passed its MOT on 7 July 2026, although this followed two earlier failures on the same day and 6 July 2026, indicating that the car required remedial work and a retest before receiving its certificate. The overall maintenance trend is best described as stable but reactive rather than proactive; the car has experienced several MOT failures over the past three years, but each was subsequently cleared to secure a pass. The most serious failures relate to structural corrosion at an offside rear body mounting within 30cm of a sill in June 2025 and to a nearside front anti-roll bar seriously weakened by corrosion in July 2026, both of which are areas of concern that warrant close physical inspection. The remaining issues are predominantly minor in nature and clustered around lamp units, wiper blades and anti-roll bar dust covers, suggesting the owner is addressing visible defects just in time rather than maintaining components on a preventative schedule. The recorded mileage of 150,054 miles over approximately 19 years equates to around 7,898 miles per year, which is broadly typical for a small hatchback of this age and indicates reasonably steady, modest usage rather than either long periods of standing or aggressive high-mileage driving. This pattern is generally favourable for mechanical longevity, particularly for the engine and gearbox, as it reduces the likelihood of calendar-based deterioration such as internal rust, dried seals or perished rubber components. However, the MOT history does not show any extremely low annual figures, so concerns relating exclusively to standing corrosion of brake discs or seized calipers should be proportionate rather than primary, although they should still be checked given the vehicle's age. Tyre condition and age should be assessed via the DOT date code on the sidewall regardless of tread depth, as older tyres can perish even with adequate tread. Several specific defects recur across the MOT history and deserve detailed attention from a prospective buyer. The anti-roll bar and its linkage ball joints have attracted advisories and failures repeatedly from 2023 onwards, with a nearside front anti-roll bar dust cover noted as severely deteriorated in 2023, 2024 and 2026, and the bar itself recorded as corroded and seriously weakened in the 2026 failure. On a test drive, listen for clonks or rattles from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, particularly over speed humps and potholes, and feel for any vagueness or vagueness through the steering. The offside front tyre was flagged as worn close to the legal limit and on its edge, which typically indicates a front wheel alignment issue or worn suspension geometry; combined with the anti-roll bar concerns, a full four-wheel alignment check and thorough inspection of the front strut mounts, wishbone bushes and track rod ends would be prudent. The offside rear position lamp has shown reduced light intensity in the most recent test, and headlamp lenses are recorded as defective with product altering the emitted colour, so verify that all lighting functions correctly and that headlamp patterns are not excessively scattered due to internal reflector deterioration. The June 2025 failure for excessive corrosion on the offside rear sill within 30cm of a body mounting is the most structurally significant item on the record and must be physically inspected before purchase. Sill corrosion on a 19-year-old vehicle is common but must be assessed for severity; any perforation, bubbling under underseal, or weakness when probed would indicate the vehicle is approaching the threshold where structural integrity becomes a safety and longevity concern. Additionally, given the engine management indicator light was flagged as inoperative in 2024, verify that the MIL illuminates with the ignition and extinguishes when the engine starts, as an inoperative bulb can mask ongoing emissions or sensor faults. Finally, regardless of the MOT record, a vehicle of this age and mileage warrants a full service history check confirming recent replacement of timing chain or belt as applicable, coolant, brake fluid, and the 12V battery, as calendar-based degradation of these items is the most likely source of future reliability issues rather than the recorded MOT defects themselves.