2007 Toyota Prius 1.5L Hybrid electric · S55 BAA

The 2007 Toyota Prius holds a valid MOT pass certificate dated 26 March 2026 at 108,047 miles, issued just under three months ago. The maintenance trend is broadly stable but punctuated by recurring corrosion-related advisories that the previous owner has addressed reactively rather than preventatively. The most recent test flagged a front lower suspension arm as corroded but not seriously weakened, a defect that also appeared in the March 2025 and April 2025 tests. This suggests the corrosion is being monitored rather than fully repaired, which is a common pattern on older Priuses where surface rust on suspension components is managed between tests rather than cut out and replaced. The mileage profile is notably low for a 19-year-old vehicle. At 108,047 miles, the annualised average sits at roughly 5,687 miles per year, well below the UK typical of 8,000 to 12,000. The record shows a gap of over 3,000 miles between the June 2024 pass at 101,033 miles and the April 2025 failure at 104,131 miles, then a further jump of nearly 4,000 miles to the March 2026 tests at 108,028 to 108,047 miles. This pattern could indicate periods of low use or short-trip local driving, which tends to accelerate corrosion on brake lines and exhaust components due to moisture not being fully evaporated during longer runs. The most significant recurring concern is corrosion on the rear brake pipes. In April 2025, both nearside and offside rear brake pipes failed for excessive corrosion, and the June 2024 test had already flagged them as corroded and contaminated with grease or other material. The fact that they deteriorated from advisory-level corrosion to a failure within ten months suggests the pipes were already in poor condition and the grease may have been applied as a cosmetic cover rather than a genuine repair. A buyer should have the rear brake lines inspected underneath the vehicle, paying close attention to the area around the rear axle and along the inner sills where Prius brake pipes are known to trap moisture. The front lower suspension arm corrosion advisory has now appeared across three consecutive test cycles, including the most recent pass. While the tester has consistently judged it not seriously weakened, the persistence of this defect over two years indicates ongoing surface degradation that could progress to structural compromise if left unchecked. The fractured offside rear coil spring identified in the March 2025 failure was rectified before the pass the following day, which is a positive sign, but it does raise the question of whether the remaining springs are equally fatigued. A buyer should inspect all four coil springs for cracks or sag and check the suspension arm bushes for deterioration, particularly on the side where corrosion has been repeatedly noted.