2001 Toyota Yaris 1.3L Petrol · Y994 ABV

A quarter-century-old Toyota Yaris showing 45,375 miles presents a reassuringly stable roadworthiness profile at present, anchored by a pass at the November 2025 test that nonetheless recorded wear in a structurally significant rear axle component. Across the three documented tests spanning late 2023 to late 2025, the car has alternated between advisory-only passes and outright failures, but the pattern shows an improving trend: the dangerous tyre cord exposure and the major parking brake adjustment defect flagged in November 2024 were both remedied at the four-day-later retest, and the major engine management (MIL) fault from late 2023 did not recur the following year. The single outstanding concern from the most recent examination is bilateral wear to the rear axle swivel pins and bushes, a classic ageing-suspension finding on this generation of Yaris that warrants attention but has not yet crossed the failure threshold. The recorded mileage of 45,375 miles over approximately 25 years equates to a gentle annual accumulation of around 1,815 miles, which is unusually low even by small-supermini standards and points to either consistent light use or, more probably, extended periods off the road between drives. There are no multi-year testing gaps visible in the supplied records, with examinations taken in consecutive late-November windows from 2023 through 2025, suggesting the car has been in regular but light use rather than laid up in a garage for prolonged stretches. Mechanically, low-mileage Yaris examples of this vintage are prone to the effects of age dominating over the effects of distance: rubber and plastic components deteriorate through time, oxidation sets into brake and fuel lines, and drivetrain seals can weep from disuse rather than wear. The advisory history bears this out, with tyre sidewall perishing appearing on three of the five recorded entries, an age-related degradation rather than a tread-wear phenomenon. A prospective buyer should focus the physical inspection on the rear suspension geometry highlighted by the November 2025 advisory. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the rear axle area when traversing speed humps, broken tarmac, or uneven B-road surfaces, as worn swivel pins and bushes on the rear axle of this Yaris platform typically generate audible slack over such inputs. The car may also exhibit a vague or wandering sensation in the rear end during direction changes, and at low speeds the rear end can feel less settled than expected over undulations. Have the car raised on a ramp if possible to confirm the bushes for physical cracking, hardening, or play when levered, and budget for replacement if movement is found, as the components are paired across the axle and best renewed together. The earlier failures also deserve a brief physical check to confirm they have been properly resolved. Inspect both front tyres closely for any remaining sidewall cracking, checking particularly the offside front where cords were once exposed, and replace any tyre older than six years regardless of tread depth given the documented perishing history. Verify the parking brake holds the vehicle on a moderate incline without excessive lever travel, as the previous adjustment issue suggests the cable or rear drum mechanism may need re-tensioning. Finally, confirm that the engine management light extinguures promptly on ignition and stays off throughout the test drive, and listen for any irregular idling, hesitation, or stored diagnostic trouble codes that might indicate the earlier MIL warning was suppressed rather than properly repaired. A handheld OBD-II read before purchase would be prudent given the age-related electrical gremlins common to this generation.