2018 Toyota Yaris 1.5L Petrol · ML18 KFF

With seven MOT tests recorded since 2021 and only one failure alongside a recurring stream of advisories, this 2018 Toyota Yaris presents a mixed mechanical picture centred on consumable wear rather than any singular structural or safety defect. The most recent test on 29 May 2026 was a pass, but it carried three advisories: light oil misting on the nearside rear shock absorber, wear on the front brake discs, and thinning front brake pads. Across the history, brake-related advisories appear in 2023, 2025, and 2026, pointing to steady but expected wear on the braking system. The single failure in May 2021 was a PRS item for ineffective front wiper operation, accompanied by the same front tyre advisories that would reappear in 2025. A 2024 minor defect for a defective wiper blade suggests intermittent attention to that area, though no further wiper issues have been recorded since. Overall, the trend is one of a vehicle that consistently passes but carries an accumulating list of advisories that a buyer should treat as a forward-looking maintenance schedule. The recorded mileage of 31,125 miles over eight years equates to roughly 3,891 miles annually, which is notably low for a car of this age and points to either limited regular use or extended periods of standing between journeys. Such low accumulation generally reduces wear on internal combustion components, clutches, and major drivetrain parts, but it can accelerate deterioration of rubber components, brake discs through surface corrosion, and tyres through sidewall perishing and uneven wear from cornering under light loads. The MOT gap between the May 2021 failure and the May 2021 pass was effectively nil as they occurred on the same date, while tests in 2022 and 2023 reflect the vehicle remaining in active service throughout. There is no multi-year absence from testing that would suggest prolonged SORN status, though the modest annual mileage does indicate the car has likely spent considerable time parked rather than in continuous use. A prospective buyer should focus the inspection on the suspension and braking components that have generated the most repeated advisories. The 2024 advisory for a worn pin or bush on the offside front lower arm rear bush should be verified by pushing laterally on each front wheel while the car is raised or by feeling for vague or wandering steering response on the road; any clunk over bumps or uneven tyre wear on the inside edges would suggest the bush has progressed further. The nearside rear shock absorber light oil misting flagged in 2026 is worth monitoring by bouncing each rear corner and listening for a dull thud rather than a firm rebound, and visually inspecting the shock body for fresh seepage below the existing misting. Braking attention is warranted across the front discs and pads, now flagged in three consecutive advisories over 2023, 2025, and 2026, so a test drive should include firm pedal application to detect any judder through the steering wheel, pulling to either side under braking, or a spongy pedal travel that would indicate the pads have worn to backing-plate contact or the discs have lipped excessively. The rear scored discs from 2023 should also be checked for any recurrence of vibration under sustained braking from higher speeds. Tyre condition deserves particular scrutiny given the repeated advisories for cracking, perishing, and edge wear across both axles in 2021, 2024, and 2025. Close inspection of all four tyres for sidewall cracking, especially on the 195/50/16 fitment recorded at the nearside front, is essential, as low annual mileage typically accelerates rubber degradation. Any uneven shoulder wear on the nearside front would corroborate the recorded edge wear pattern, and could also hint at lingering suspension geometry issues stemming from the worn bush noted in 2024. Finally, although no corrosion advisories have been recorded to date, a low-mileage Yaris of this age warrants a thorough underside check, particularly around the rear axle, suspension mounting points, and exhaust hangers, as road salt exposure during periods of light winter use can concentrate corrosive damage on unprotected surfaces even when annual mileage remains modest.