2015 Toyota Yaris 1.5L Hybrid electric (clean) · NG15 DXD

A clear pattern emerges from this Yaris's MOT record: while it has generally stayed on the road, the test history reveals a slow but persistent accumulation of advisories and defects across the braking and suspension systems over the last three years. The most recent test on 2 May 2025 was a pass, but it carried three advisories concerning front tyre wear on both edges, worn front lower suspension arm pins or bushes on both sides, and light oil misting on the nearside rear shock absorber. The nearside rear shock oil misting advisory actually first appeared in May 2024 and has therefore persisted across two consecutive tests, suggesting the seal degradation is progressive rather than static. Earlier in the record, a dangerous failure in April 2023 was issued because both rear tyres had tread depth below the legal 1.6mm minimum, and the same test flagged fluctuating rear brake performance. A further failure in April 2022 involved an inoperative side repeater and an ineffective front wiper, both of which are relatively minor items but indicate that presentation and basic visibility components were not kept in order at that test. With eleven years on the road and 139,767 miles recorded, this Yaris has been covering approximately 12,700 miles per year, which is notably high for a vehicle of this class and age. The annual mileage gap between tests is consistent, and there is no evidence of a prolonged off-road period; the vehicle has clearly been in regular service. Mechanically, that level of sustained mileage on a small supermini means the consumables, braking surfaces, and under-belt drivetrain components will have endured considerably more wear than would be typical for an equivalent car covering closer to 7,000 or 8,000 miles annually. The combination of high accumulated mileage and the recent advisory pattern points to a chassis that has done real work and is now showing its age in the suspension and braking areas most affected by repeated load cycles. For a prospective buyer, the suspension and braking components flagged in the recent advisories deserve particular physical attention on any test drive. The front lower suspension arm pins or bushes noted as worn on both sides in May 2025 can produce clonking or knocking noises over speed humps, uneven road surfaces, or during sharp low-speed turns, and they may also contribute to vague or wandering steering response. The nearside rear shock absorber oil misting, present across two tests, is a warning that the internal seal is deteriorating; on the road, this typically shows up as a lack of damping control over undulating surfaces, a rear end that continues to oscillate after a bump, or a slight nose-dive bias compared with a healthy rear axle. Both front tyres were also recorded as worn close to the legal limit on both edges in 2025, which on a front-wheel-drive car can be indicative of misalignment, worn suspension geometry, or simply the high mileage, so check for uneven inner-edge wear on any replacement tyres fitted since the test. The brake-related history should also inform the road test, particularly given the April 2021 major failures concerning parking brake efficiency, damaged wing mirror, and defective brake cable guides at both ends. The April 2023 failure for dangerously low rear tread depth combined with fluctuating rear brake performance suggests the rear brake system has been marginal in the past, so on a test drive listen for any grinding, squealing, or pulsation through the pedal under firm application, and confirm that the handbrake holds the vehicle securely on an incline without needing excessive lever travel. With this level of mileage and the pattern of recurring advisories, budgeting for replacement front suspension arms, rear shock absorbers, and fresh brake components within the short term would be a prudent part of any purchase plan, regardless of how the car presents cosmetically.