Toyota road test reports and car reviews

Toyota Avensis Estate 2.0 D4D 2005

 

I bought mine second-hand four years ago in 2008 and it has proved to be a very reliable and economical purchase. It had to have a front wheel bearing replaced at four years old, and the other one a year later, but otherwise no costs at all over and above normal servicing. It’s even still on it’s original exhaust at 6 1/2 years old. It’s quiet and comfortable for a journey, drives very well, but is definitely not what you would call exciting ! Only complaint is the rear parcel shelf which, complete in it’s housing is much too heavy and awkward to remove and replace. As a car it would be difficult to seriously improve on.

 

Toyota Land Cruiser lc4 auto 5 2005

A great family car. I had the turbo replaced under warranty at 28k , also the injector seals at 70k by Toyota, even though the vehicle was 6 years 3months old, free of charge and courtesty car included! Don’t waste money on Land Rover rubbish. I will buy another Land Cruiser. A great car that delivers 32 mpg at 70 mph on the motorway.

Toyota Hiace 2.4D 1997

I had an R reg Hiace up to a few years ago and it was simply a great van, tough and totally reliable. It had a hard life and looked pretty ragged and had 198,000 on the clock when I sold it, but it had always been reliable and everything still worked, electric windows, central locking etc. The one and only thing that had failed was the remote fuel filler cap release and that’s it.

Toyota Aygo 2005

I bought this lemon in August 2010. In the last 6 months I have had this car I have replaced: All brakes, pads and discs, the alternator, fan belt, water pump and the exhaust has just gone this morning, which will be another £150.00 that I can’t afford in January! The Aygo is a lemon and it’s not worth the low road tax that you pay for it.

Toyota Aygo Aygo + 2006

 

I bought the car new in 2006 and it has now done 90,000 miles. Yes under warranty it had a leak fixed, water pump replaced, clutch replaced and a gearbox rebuild, but it is great. The gear change is not the greatest and yes I have to make sure the seals keep adjusted to keep leaks away and the pin in the rear window hinges keep working thier way out and have to be pushed back in, but it was cheap to buy, is cheap to run and does exactly what it is meant to. It is used, abused and has erything thrown at it, from being used as a little van for horse feed/hay/stuff to 350 plus mile one day round trips. I will run this one in to the ground, but so far it’s showing no signs of mechanical wear at all. My main tip is ensure you use the right oil.

 

Toyota Auris SR180 2007

I bought my 57 Reg 2.2 D-CAT 175bhp Auris SR180 recently. I have previously owned two Avensis and a Yaris. This one beats the lot, a simply amazing car! You really understand what Toyota is about when you drive it: quality build, combined with what I expect to be a reliable car. The only drawback is fuel consumption. Press hard on the pedal and you will achieve low 30mpg (0-60mpg in 8 seconds). Drive it sensibly and I can get 45 mpg on average. Not bad for a performance car (bear in mind the Auris 1.6 petrol achieves 39mpg on average). This one has got tinted windows, rear spoiler, cruise control... you name it. If you want great fuel economy, get the yaris 1.4 D4D. I got 67mpg on average with it, but it’s dull. If you fancy something more exciting, test drive an SR180 and you’ll see what I mean.

Toyota Yaris T3 D4D 2005

I purchased my Yaris D4D T3 in Sept 2010 with 27,000 on the clock from a Ford main dealer. As of Jan 2012, the mileage is now 58,000. The car is used for a 100 mile commute most days on a mixture of A road and city roads. Reliability: Front and rear suspension bushes changed at 38,000 changed under warranty (Ford direct warranty). Costs: Best ever fuel consumption at 68 miles per gallon with the average being 58 miles per gallon. Servicing: At 10,000 mile intervals servicing comes around quite quickly with my mileage. Comfort: The car is fine for 2 hour journeys, but so far I have not been further. IT is a bit noisy on tick over, but the seat and interior build are fine. Dealers: I have found the Toyota main dealer fine and not any more expensive than other main dealers we use for the other family cars (Kia and Nissan). Conclusion: More than happy with the Yaris. My wife keeps borrowing it and she loves driving it and now wants to change her car to a Verso too. The  reason for 4 stars and not 5 is the suspension bushes at 38,000 cost £400!

Toyota Hiace 280 102hp 2003

I’m on my 4th Hiace now. I had a 95 Granvia Hiace 4WD import years ago, which was fast and comfy, but had terrible fuel consumption, plus the rear seats not coming out easily was a pain. I then got a 99 Hiace 2.4 LWB, which was slower, but I had no issues with in 2 years of ownership. I then got a 08 Hiace 120, which was fast, but a bit too snatchy around town driving, although great on long journeys, uphill and overtaking, but oddly started to rust in various places (perhaps due to a life near the sea) and insurance was a lot higher. I have just flogged that and bought a 2003 old shape Hiace with D4D 102 engine. Of the 4 I have had this seems the right balance of power, economy, insurance group and I prefer the look compared to the post ’07 ones. I had to replace the steering column gaiter on two of them, as this tends to split and makes it noisy inside. All of them seem to clonk on full lock. The dashboard light has also gone on two of them, but it is relatively easy to change. Other than that they just need regular servicing, which is easy enough to do youself. I wouldn’t buy any other type of van, although I do like the look of the Asian/Oz market models.

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2004

We had several pre 2003 Avensis so when we urgently needed a replacement we simply bought the post 2003 Avensis, but the two are like chalk and cheese. We’ve had no end of problems with the headlight units; first water got in, then the lights melted. The worst part that it is almost impossible to replace the bulbs!! The first time it took me three days!!! Yes, three days to replace the bulb, and two of those were trying to fix the cover, which broke because there is so little space to put it in. Then there is the poxy back wiper, that is worse than useless. As for the air conditioning? I have several times nearly come off the road when the windscreen fogged up in the rain and I desperately tried to find the setting, which sends some air to the window. In the old Avensis there was a simple knob you turned and it was easily located and quickly turned to send air to the windscreen. On the new one you have to press a button, then each time look at the tiny graphics to work out if any air is supposedly going to the windscreen. All this with a rapidly fogging up windscreen and with bad headlights as they are invariably faulty.

Toyota Aygo 2011

It’s a fact of life with these cars, the C1, 107 and Aygo are cheap for a reason. This is a shame as it’s dragging Toyota’s reputation further down, which is not what they want, particularly after the sticking accelerator pedal saga. The most common problems on these are premature wear on the front discs and premature wear on the clutch due to it being too small; it should be 190mm diameter instead of 180mm and of course leaking door seals.

Toyota Hiace 300 95hp 2008

 

I bought my van 18 months old with 43k miles from a Toyota dealer who had used it from new as their parts delivery van. I had it lined and insulated to soundproof it and then shelved it myself. I am a self employed builder and have only driven it 8,000m in 2 years but I love it. I bought it after reading other reviews here at the time and poor reviews on Transits, Vivaro’s and VW etc. I also spoke to several owners who all had much praise for their vans. I have only had one problem, which was a sticking brake cylinder due to water ingress/corrosion, which my brother fixed for me. Yes they are basic but I believe they are the best van on the road. I need the long wheelbase and can get in 8’ x 4’ sheets of ply & plasterboard etc, 3m lengths of pipe & timber on an angle and even my 2.5m triple extension ladders (The SWB wont do that). The 95hp engine is plenty powerful enough and I have a 1.3 GVW trailer it tows easily. Fuel consumption averages 27/28 mpg. The best I got was 33mpg when empty and before I had it lined and insulated etc. and the worst mpg was 23 in winter but short journeys and some towing etc. I always have it full of tools and equipment. The biggest fault is it doesn’t like the snow. I couldn’t move in the deep snow the last couple of winters. However, I am very pleased and intend to keep the van for many years to come.

 

Toyota Yaris D4D T spirit 2004

I bought this car new in 2004. It has done 136k miles and was still returning over 70mpg. In all that time it has had a wheel bearing and a couple of bonnet release cables replaced. Then the gearbox fell to pieces, a total complete failure. I cannot believe my luck. I know an old guy who works in a little workshop who only rebuilds gearboxes, he knows ’em inside out, less than a 100 yards from my home. He tells me that he rebuilds a Yaris box at least once a week. The fault is in the main bearings, which have plastic cages to space the roller bearings where most have metal. Having been quoted close on three grand for a new box (I’m having the clutch renewed, still on the factory original), he’s going to sort it for very reasonable amount of money. It’s a superb car with the best build quality I’ve ever owned, but a few pennies scrimped on the bearings have spoiled an epic story.

Toyota Aygo 2005

I bought a five year old Toyota Aygo from Toyota, Huddersfield, which I now bitterly regret. After one day the was exhaust blowing, there was a big chunk carpet missing, which had been covered up with mats and it was using an excessive amount of petrol, £20 in one day driving locally. Because of these problems together with poor performance I took it back. The garage said they would look at it and fix anything that was wrong. I picked it up, but it was still the same so I took it back again. They had it in for 2 weeks then gave it me back. After about 3000 miles there was no oil left in it. I took it back again. After another 3000 miles again there was no oil left in it; it’s not leaking oil so it must be burning it. In 6000miles it has burnt two engine fulls of oil and at no time has there been any indication, leading me to believe the oil light must not be working as it has never come on. I will be taking my Aygo to an independent mechanic to look at it as I feel Toyota are simply palming me off until the warranty runs out.

Toyota Hiace 2008

I’m now on my third Hiace. I get 40mpg and it drives and handles like a car. My previous Hiace was a 1997 2.4d with 280k on the clock, which was scrapped because it needed new parts that would have cost £250. I got £350 from the scrappy! The engine was still pulling at 90mph. Having tried the lot I would bet £100million that no country can beat the Japanese in build quality.

Toyota Aygo Blue 2008

We bought the car second-hand from a main dealer about 2 years ago. We’ve been happy with it and have had no water leaks in car and no condensation/ice on front windscreen. I enjoy driving it and my wife loves it BUT..at 10736 miles, (car 2 years old), the dealer replaced the water pump under warranty due to leakage. That was Dec 2010. Fast Forward to Nov 11, less than 2000 miles later and they have had to replace the head gasket, thankfully under warranty, but it concerns me. What will happen the next 2000 miles? Toyota will be claiming back over £675 from Toyota GB for warranty work but dealer said that if the car was not under warranty I would be looking at around £1000. That’s crazy that a head gasket goes within 3 years and 12600 miles. The car is not driven hard, we are more mature drivers so we take it easy.

Toyota Picnic 2.2 td gs 1999

I bought this car in 2004 and it’s still running ok on 178,000 miles. Not much goes wrong with these cars, they’re very reliable and mine achieves as overall average MPG of 43. These are great cars for no fuss motoring. Toyotas are brilliant!

Toyota Corolla Verso 2.00 T3 D4D 2005

I bought the car in August with 55K on the clock. The build quality is impressive and it delivers a comfortable drive. Within days of purchasing this car the engine mangement light came on then the traction off light and VSC light. It then went into safe mode. Since then the car has done this about 3 or 4 times a day and it’s difficult to predict when it will happen. I’ve been to various mechanics and Toyota dealers, the code that comes up is internal leak yet We’ve had the internal diesel leakage pipe replaced and the injector seals, but it still has the same problems. The car also is difficult to start if it’s parked on a slope. We are still no further forward finding the fault and the code lists approx. 10 problems; replace injectors, replace common fuel rail, replace fuel pump etc., the list goes on. We are now in dispute with the dealer and the warranty company. This is the last Toyota I’m ever buying. I should have stuck to Nissan!

Toyota Urban Cruiser 2011

I don’t mind reading negative reviews regarding the Urban Cruiser. For me I love the car. It handles well, is fun to drive and really lives up to its name. A perfect car in the city and even crossing highways and country driving. I will always go with the Urban Cruiser.

Toyota Yaris SR 1.4 Diesel Manual 2008

Had this car from new and it hasn’t let me down once. The built in sat-nav is great along with loads of other gadgets. Highly recommend.

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2004

I bought this car in July 2008, but it has had a lot of problems. It started with an engine management problem in the clock, whereby I had to buy growplugs for it, which are expensive. Now it has gone down with low pressure and will cost £113.00 to repair it. It has done just 10,000 miles.

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2003

 

I bought the car a month ago and I am ready to sell it on!!! I’d never had a Toyota and thought this would be perfect for our growing family! Was I wrong?!! The car is not as spacious as it looks and the road noise is unbearable; it seems to have all sorts of problems when you hear the loud noise! I regret buying it now and will definitely sell it on very soon. Very disappointed!

 

Toyota Prius 1.5 2009

Futher to my previous review we have now undertaken the 1200 miles to Nairn and back. With local running it amounts to 1400 miles. At no time did we drive for economy, just kept up with the traffic, cruising at 75’ish mph with the occasional visits to higher numbers. We averaged 58.6mpg. The comfort was great, no back aches at all. Local running back home on back roads to Clacton returned 62mpg! Fantastic.

Toyota Hiace 9 seater bus 2006

My 2006 9 seater Hiace bus has 603,000 kms on the clock. There have been no real problems. It is serviced every 20,000km and the oil is changed every 10,000km. Go Toyota Go !! I love it :-)

Responses to this review

Can you tell me what the distance on the wheels between hole to hole? Is it about 2 or 3 inches - Stuart Prentice from England

Toyota Land Cruiser LC5 2005

Great family car, however my engine blew up after 70,000 miles. Luckily I had paid for an extended warranty, but still took a month to get my car back. This is a known fault and you must talk to your dealer.

Toyota Avensis Saloon 2.0 diesel 2002

I’ve had my Toyota Avensis for around 3 years, but from the start I have complained about a heavy clutch and I have to be fair as the Wrexham dealership also noted a heavy clutch. As it was still under warranty they put a so called ’fix’ in, but it was no different. They then changed the clutch and it seemed OK, but 2 months later I lost the clutch completely. I called out the AA and it needed a new master cylinder? I still have trouble with a stiff clutch and now the warranty has expired. My wife has trouble driving it and I am finding that over a period of time, my hip on the clutch foot is giving me trouble. On a good note, and not to take away its good points, I will say it has been reliable and has saved me a small fortune on fuel. It feels safe to drive and is the smoothest car I’ve ever driven. I still love it to bits, but this problem and the bad lock are taking away the fun out of drving it.

Toyota Hiace Powervan 2000

I bought this van a year ago when it was 10 years old with only 80,000 miles on the clock. It needed a new wishbone and bushes for the MOT and now needs the glow plugs replacing, but as for a robust and reliable van, I couldn’t have done better.

Toyota Prius Prius II 2005

I bought my Prius from new and have now covered 65,000 miles. I think this is probably the best car I have owned. Read the test reports and the car gets critised on lack of performance and ’driving feel’. Back in the real world of normal humans though I find the performance strong particularly at low speed and the handling is great. Issues: not many. The ride is a tad firm, the annoying buzzers and beeps e.g. to remind that you are in reverse (how did we ever cope before?), not great if you live up a mountain (in Austria i found that after 10 miles of constant up-hill the battery gets exhausted and you are left with just the petrol engine which struggles). Nothing has really gone wrong, only paint on the bonnet fixed under warranty. Economy, I get 52mpg on average.

Toyota Auris 1.4d 2007

It’s a good car to drive until it tries to kill you.

Toyota Corolla Verso T-Spirit MMT 2004

I bought the Verso new in 2004. The car is very good for comfort and was the ideal car my family, except for the dreaded problem with the MMT System. 3 years into ownership, it Kept breaking down with the car staying on neutral. I had to pay for a new MMT. Toyota wanted £2800. In the end I paid £1500. Toyota never admitted that this car has a fault with the MMT. They did a customer satisfaction recall, which aparently is not a recall. Mine went in to the garage in February 2010. I was told I was getting a new MMT. This did not perform any better and within a year, apart from the usual jerking when a gear is changing, the clutch started slipping and the car not starting up. I took it in for a diagnostic and I was told the MMT hadn’t been replaced. The Romford Toyota Garage only changed the actuator control box. I took the car to Woodford Toyota and they said the whole MMT should have been changed as the parts fitted when I paid for the MMT replacement in 2007 was the old parts which are faulty. I phoned Customer relations and they agreed to pay for the ECU only. I dad it changed, but it only made the car worse. Woodford Toyota say the actuator needs changing as it is wearing down the clutch. Despite the appropriate work not being carried out during the recall, Toyota customer relations refuse to change the clutch actuator. I am looking at a £2000+ bill!

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2011

Gave up on Land Cruiser Prado diesel as the last one (after two preceding 3L diesels) started to cause issues after 95,000km with lumpy running and had already had significant vehicle issues prior. Traded to 4L petrol Ltd. Has lots of bells but the engine is obviously very different to drive after the ore iOS 3 x 3L diesels. Great on open road but low speed running. Its torque makes the engine unpredictable and not as smooth. New cruise control with auto distance control is painful needing a more rounded response instead of, at times, hunting and often over reacting to cruise setting.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 MMT 2008

I bought a 2008 semi-automatic petrol (MMT) having learnt in a diesel MMT Yaris and was quite impressed with the smoothness of the gear changes. During the test drive, it performed as expected, but perhaps I should have tried it in more stop-start traffic as the first few days of driving it in the city revealed very jerky starts and jerky gear shifts (from 1st to 2nd). I should have returned it to the dealer then, but I misguidedly persisted with the MMT gearbox, trying all sorts of elaborate ways to make it as smooth as possible (eg driving barefoot so that I could apply just the right amount of pressure to minimise jerking). It is also very scary to drive this car when entering roundabouts and pulling out of junctions as it jerks violently and accelerates very slowly, resulting in several near misses and irrate drivers. This car is awful when driving up a steep incline, it hunts for gears and labours wearily, leaving you to hope and pray you make it up. Looking on various forums and owner review sites made me realise this was a very common problem with the MMT. I finally part-exchanged it for a 2006 Corolla with conventional auto gearbox. So to anyone considering any car with the MMT gearbox, DON’T. I can’t emphasise this strongly enough. There are some people out there who insist the problem is with one’s driving style and one just needs to adapt to it. But even Toyota dealers know of the issues with the MMT gearbox. Anyway, glad to hear that Toyota have finally ditched the MMT and the new 2012 Yaris comes with CVT. Maybe customer feedback does mean something after all.

Toyota Verso 2.0d TR 2010

An excellent reliable comfortable and economical car(never less than 45mpg). I would wholeheartedly recommend one the anyone.

Toyota Yaris 2009

I too have trouble with the gearbox, the worst I have had in 50 years of driving. I’m told by the garage that it is because the gates are too close on the six gear gearbox and that you have to be more careful when changing. Rubbish!!! In common with another user, my indicators do not centralise, which leads to other road users annoyance or even a dangerous situation. I cannot hear when they are on. This is my third Toyota, but will be my last!!!

Responses to this review

I have just bought a December 2009 1330 Yaris TR with 12,000 miles on the clock to replace my old 2002 Jap built SR1300. I have a terrible 1st to 2nd shift and the air-con don’t work. I am sending the car back to the Toyota dealer who sold it to me and demanding another car to get me around until fixed. If they don’t fix it, I will go to court. I sue easily! I have had more trouble in a week with this car than 9.5 years with the old Yaris SR. Is this because it was built in France? - Chris Kenney from Buckinghamshire

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Manual 2010

I bought my Toyoto Yaris 1.3 Manual new 2010 model after owning two previous Toyotos. The ride is bumpy for which I have reduced the tyre pressures 4psi. My only and very serious complaint, which the main dealers don’t seem to be able to fix after 4 visits, is a serious vibration and noise coming up from the steering column assembly, which seems to relate to every bump or unsmooth road situation and is generally worse from a cold start and better on a hot day. This is putting me off looking at another Toyoto!

Responses to this review

I have bought a 2010 Yaris 1.33 Optimal drive. No shakes through the steering and the only issue on it so far is a re-adjustment of the gear shift cables in line with the Toyota service bullitin, this helps the gear selection to be smoother and less notchy. Sounds as if your dealer is crap, as you are still under warranty, try another dealer - Chris Kenney from Buckinghamshire

Toyota Aygo 2006

Bought this car new in 2006 and up to November 2010 it was Brilliant. But then I was told it needed a new clutch (only did 20,000 miles). My local garage did the work (£500). The past 6 months have been miserable driving as the gears are tight and sometimes I can’t even get 1/2nd gear. The car whines when stopped and in gear and rumbles and makes some horrible noises. My garage has twice tried to adjust it but it’s no better. I took it to Toyota who said it was a faulty clutch and I needed to go back to the garage that did the work. Bless them. They are replacing the clutch as I write, but looking at the Forums this is a general problem with the Aygos. Apparantly there is a modification to the clutch part and fingers crossed this will be the answer. Please Toyota read these forums and help us out. We put our trust in your cars by spending our hard earned money and don’t expect bills like this.

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 150 4.0 L 2011

Super car. Great experience. Fun to drive, very quiet inside. I use it on and off road and works very well on both surfaces. Only slightly difficult to drive on heavy mud. The 2011 LC 150 is by far the best of the six others I owned previosly.

Toyota Hiace 300 LWB 2011

 

Do not let anyone kid you, if you’re looking for reliability at sensible money you shouldn’t look at anything else. Simply put this is the best van in its category. I’ve just picked mine up from the dealer having had it on order for 4.5 months (Japanese earth quake etc), but it was definitely worth the wait. I own and run a small MoT and garage business and I just know from experience that this van will last forever. Ok so it doesn’t have fancy gismos and electrics, but who wants them? That’s the very thing that makes this van reliable! When toyota get something right they don’t change things just for the sake of it. The day after I picked it up I did a 250 mile round trip, the van was smooth, quick, quiet and returned 40 mpg. The Toyota was £14,500 + vat (the equialent VW was over £20,000 + vat and read their reviews - terrible) Excellent van!

Responses to this review

I’m self employed, I drive a 2006 1-9D Expert van no electrics, the van carries all my Power-washing gear and is very reliable. I must admit it’s not fast but I am getting about 40mpg which is good. My question is, how do I know which Toyota Hiace was made in Japan? I agree with everyone that the Hiace is the best van BY FAR but are they still made in Japan? I’m looking for a 2006 Hiace lwb with no electrics or frills. If anyone would be kind enough to reply, please give year of vans which are made in Japan i.e. 2006, 2007 etc as I live in Belfast and don’t have letters like R Reg. Cheers! - Michael Dickinson from County Antrim

Toyota Yaris S 2 door lift back 2009

That ’roar’ between 1st and 2nd gear is probably to do with environmental requirements; Honda civics did that too but delivered a torque surge as a result. A bit unnerving. I’ve owned a 2009 Yaris for 2 weeks and it’s surpassed my expectations. Aside from the 5th passenger restraint seeming a bit superfluous, It’s easy to work around when your loading up the (surprisingly generous) cargo space and I do load it up; portable table saw, mitre saw, screw guns, air compressor, nail guns and bunch of other misc stuff fit with room to spare.

Toyota Hiace 300 gs 2.5 d4d 2007

I have had many new vans provided by employers over the years and the Hiace is my favorite. I am a mobile engineer and it would be my first choice if I went self employed and had to buy a van myself. It has the legendary Toyota reliability and the gearstick from the floor area, which I prefer. It’s easy to maintain and is a good size of van for town use. I love the tinny sounding sliding side door. I currently have a Vivaro just now, which I am sick of as the trim falls off all the time, e.g door handles wing mirror, bits of dash, window winder etc. I’m wanting another hiace again after carrying out some maintenance on a friend’s and I had to take it on a wee test drive. The common problems I’ve found over the years with the hiace (but keep on top of them and they will be like new), are: Steering column gaiter through bulkhead wearing and letting excess roadnoise into cabin at speed; Anti roll bar droplink bushes wearing circa 30k-40k miles- under £40 (dingbro) for both sides for complete droplinks, no need to remove wheels to fit, this dramatically reduces roll and makes everything seem a lot tighter at the front. I have had a few sets of ovaled brake drums, d4d engines EGR valve coking up; I disable the EGR on all my diesels to stop the inevitable. On the 2.4d had a run of worn crankpulleys and they caused wear on crankshaft; the pattern was that they had been to the dealers within a few miles for timing belts so probably had not been torqued correctly. Keep the batteries topped up and the terminals greased along with the regular (10k) servicing. The ignition barrel/key wear can make the steering lock difficult to release on circa 130k vans, but if you keep rotating keys and applying a small bit of grease every now and again this should not be as much of an issue. The cons are: The usual plain dash compared to all others, whole bland interior for that matter, but on my transits etc the more cubby holes = more rubbish in them; Small wing mirrors and poor rear visibility means most of these vans have rear door and quarter damage due to reversing into things; The long wheelbase Hiace has a terrible turning axis and is poorer to drive. I didn’t like the facelift on the last one I had, but it grew on me so the conclusion is that I like a van to be a van and not try to be a car with these dash mounted gear sticks that need constant adjustment and crazy power outputs and low reliability. Transits have constant EGR valve and electrical problems together with fuel pump leaks, gear selectors dropping out of place and general VW engine management issues. The Vivaro has been reliable but sheds some plastic.

Toyota Aygo 2006

I bought my Aygo second hand three years ago. It’s been great and up until recently I couldn’t fault it. However, in the last 9 months I’ve noticed that one door seal has perished and split (although so far not leaking), the boot catch sticks regularly, the rear window heater element connector has sheared off so now have no way of demisting it, and now the latest thing is the clutch! It started knocking when I press the clutch and grinding when changing up through the gears, especially 2nd and 3rd. It crunches into reverse and began to seriously worry me when it jumped out of gear all on it’s own as I was driving at 30mph on a dual carriageway! I took it to an independent garage who said it sounded as though I needed a new clutch but this was unusual in a car with so few miles on the clock (23000ish) so I took it to a Toyota dealer. They stripped it and altered the bite and lubricated but report that it still sticks a bit when changing up to 2nd and 3rd and ’may need a new clutch’ - this is to be my choice after driving it again for a while. Well it is certainly better, but not right and now after reading all the problems other people have had I’m afraid to leave it as it is. I’m due to increase my mileage significantly in the new school year and need a reliable car. I can’t really afford £500+ to have it done as I’ve just left my job to go to uni for a year! Now I’m really unsure what to do and am beginning to lose affection for my lovely little car. Incidentally, I don’t ride the clutch or rest my foot on it when driving, but they did mention that this may be the problem! I think maybe that is Toyota’s stock excuse for a dodgy clutch on the Aygo and a good way of not taking responsibility, after all we can’t prove we don’t do it can we!!

Responses to this review

I bought my Toyota Platinum Aygo second hand just over a year ago. It was first registered in September 2008. It’s been a great car, very economical, but all of a sudden, I have found water in the rear well behind the front seats. We have had a lot of rain, but the seals seem to be intact. I have had it to the garage and they are just as bemused as I am. Anyone else had this problem? Is this a potential rust bucket? - Lyn Blackhall from Mid-Lothian (Edinburghshire)

Snap, took me a while to understand what was causing water in the rear nearside foot well. It’s the seal that has perished, could this be a fault with the Aygo? - Diana Collins from Berkshire

Hi there, I have a 2006 Aygo with MMT transmission and the clutch had to be replaced after 43,000 miles. Also had a product recall for the accelerator pedal and a swimming pool instead of a back seat where all the water was leaking in (luckily this was covered under warranty). The clutch however, was not and cost me £599! Not a price I was happy to pay with, the car only being just over three years old and with such low mileage. Oh and I thought Toyotas were reliable which was why I bought it in the first place. Won’t be making that mistake again! - Claire from Wales

Further to comment above, now discovered is rear light seal at cost of £90. Let’s hope this works! - Diana Collins from Berkshire

I have an ’07 Aygo which I bought just over a year ago. It has only done 33,000 miles and I myself have only done 8,000 since I bought this heap of junk. I have had the clutch replaced at a cost of £375.00, money I could have done with this Christmas. My mechanic found a website ’BLUE PRINT BULLETIN’. Check it out for yourself and you will find that Toyota installed the wrong clutch. My complaint to customer relations at Toyota was a waste of time, as they say your warranty is out of date. As far as I am concerned, Toyota has admitted this problem and I will not let this matter drop - Dorothy Allen from Cornwall

Toyota Aygo 2006

My wife paied cash for her Aygo as one of the supposed benefits for doing so was a lifetime parts warranty. However, to cut a long story short, her clutch pedal went to the floor during a journey home from work. 50 miles away and I had to go tow her home, which in itself was a nightmare for her. Upon inspection what we thought was a snapped cable turned out to be a snapped actuation arm (the great big chunk of STEEL the cable hooks on to). When I took the broken off section to Toyota (Kingslyn, Norfolk) they said that ours was in fact, the first case of this particular part failure. I was told it was going take a re-mortgage to be able to have it fixed and I was told it was not covered on the (lifetime)warranty, as it was not a part but a consumable, ie. part of the clutch. I asked if when customers came in for a new clutch was this actuation arm included? Of course the answer was no. However, on my receipt the piece in question has in deed got a PART no, so why is it not covered by the warranty??!! Oh I nearly forgot, we’ve got all the leaks and exhaust problems, coupled with the brakedisc issues aswell. It makes me wish we had kept my old van, at least it was reliable and sound and never let us down.

Toyota Auris 2004

I have had this car since March, 2007 and have never had any problems with it. It is delightful to drive and there is nothing wrong with the gearbox or brake although I know that a lot of people don’t like the postion. Have never had any rattles or annoying problems and it seems to me that some people just go around looking for problems. This is my second Toyota and I am just about to change it for another Toyota with a 61 plate

Toyota Aygo 2008

My first new car bought for Toyota reliability. It’s a 3 door and has done 500,000 kilometres. It leaked water through the windscreen, but when the windscreen broke and was replaced it solved that problem. A month ago a wheel bearing had to be replaced. I didnt have it done under warranty as the Toyota garage was too far away. Now 5 days out of warranty the water pump has broken. I love the car but wonder how much more it will cost me?

Toyota Land Cruiser LC4 2005

Well engineered traditional off-roader that will go anywhere. Toyota’s legendary reliability and great dealer service make the ownership experience a pleasure. Comfortable and well equipped. Feels like it will go on forever and will be kept long term. Highly recommended.

Responses to this review

Hi Andy, I am looking to purchase a Landcruiser LC LWB GX commercial but wondered what kind of miles to the gallon this will do. Can you advise roughly what you are getting? Thanks - Rickie from Ireland

Toyota Aygo 2011

I live in France now and as our main car is a Nissan Pathfinder, I wanted a small car just to nip about in. My requirements were it had to be economical as our nearest town is around 35mins drive away. I bought my Aygo from Toyota in Gueret; we knew how good they were because they had done a job on the Pathfinder for us, and sure enough, they were brilliant all through from choosing the model to taking it out of the showroom. When I went to collect the car I couldn’t see it anywhere, that was because it was sitting under a tailored cover in the middle of the showroom waiting for me! It does over 70kms to the gallon, purring along with 4 adults in it, attacking hills with no problems at all. The aircon, which I don’t use much, is fantastic, and all in all I just love it to bits. It is a brilliant small car that feels and drives like a big one. A vehicle well worth considering if you want a smaller car.

Toyota Aygo 2009

I purchased a brand new Aygo in December 2009. It presently has 4,500 miles on clock. It’s had one clutch replacement at 13-months and one inspection at 17-months yet is still experiencing intermittent clutch failure with no remedy in sight. I’m rather unhappy and will not purchase a Toyota again.

Toyota MR2 Limited edition red 2004

I collect my MR2 limited edition Red on Friday this week. I have test driven it 3 times and I’m very impressed. I have a 2.0L Peugeot 307 convertible. Compared to that the MR2 goes like you know what off a stick! Even though its 1.8. its more fun and £60 cheaper on insurance! Let’s hope the same goes for the fuel. Will keep you informed of my opinions after I’ve had it a while. Before I saw this one MR2s didn’t even cross my mind I was lookin at MX5 or Audi TTs, so glad this was sat at the garage waiting for me! Happy motoring everyone.

Toyota Hiace Commuter Diesel 2010

The Hiace Commuter is a top van, and everything is good. Note I have given it four stars, the fifth star will be reserved for when, (and I admit I am very picky but I am in the professional passenger transport business and own and drive daily a 2011 Toyota Commuter) 1. The interior noise from the road is lowered. And 2. The suspension is made more comfortable for the passenger. Currently the ride is jarry and bumpy. It should be smooth, noiseless and comfortable for passenger transport; I can’t help but feel that there was little thought to this aspect and the suspension is the same as the commercial van. I transport wheelchair passengers and they need a smoother ride. I am not an expert but the suspension design needs some work for passenger transport.

Responses to this review

I can agree with the suspension issues. The passengers complain a lot about the bumps. This is really annoying - Graeme Wallis from Australia

Toyota MR2 2006

I just bought an MR2 a couple of weeks ago on a whim. 39000 miles on the clock and what a beaut she is. The handling is superb and the engine sounds great at 5000 rpm. The MR2 is what driving should be like. The car is comfortable on the firm side. A basic stereo works just fine, who needs a fantastic stereo with the roof down? This car reminds me of the days when cars were fun; Mk 2 Golf GTI, the old Mini Cooper etc. Yep you’ve guessed I’m in my 50’s. I chose the car for its looks, driver involvement and performance , I love it to pieces. It did cost me my bike leathers (now gone to charity) and my wife’s new kitchen has been put on hold, but hey, what a small price to pay for such a brilliant car?

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon 2010

 

You can’t beat an Amazon, they are the toughest 4x4 in the world. Landrover? Well you can put a posh interior in anything. I have tried most 4x4’s, but the others just can’t beat the Amazon. That’s a fact!

 

Toyota Yaris 1.3 cc petrol 2008

My Yaris has got problems with a clonking noise coming out of the bell housing every time I let the clutch out. Very annoying I must say. It has been back to the garage 4 times now, but they say that this is normal for this car. I bet that a new one would not make this noise. I am not happy. Watch out for gearbox problems too.

Toyota Yaris T Spirit MM auto 2011

We have just bought the T Spirit MM, which is alot less expensive to run than our trusty Volvo V40 Sport auto estate. On first experience it feels like a very light sporty hatch, with alot of leg space and good visibility. Lighter and easy on the touch than a big estate. Petrol consumption appears to be very good; just can’t empty the tank!! I’m going from North East to London in August, so I will know more of its output and consuption then. We bought this car as it looks very modern, but having now driven it I love the driving position. Great in traffic. I will let you know more later.

Toyota Prius Prius III 2011

Best car I have ever owned. Prior to purchasing, I test drove BMW 325, Volvo S60, Audi A4, the VW Passat and Jetta - all 2011 models. The Bimmer had heavy steering and small backseats. The S60 is a rocket but the ride was too bouncy and again had really small backseats. The Audi backseat is a joke and steering too loose. VW’s Passat had no headroom in the backseat while the Jetta was near perfect all around except the steering which was like a 1951 Buick! You could turn the wheel but the VW did not turn, needing much more angle on the wheel. I was coming from a Miata and I drive rather briskly. I test drove a Prius III and considering everything - economy, build quality, backseats, convenience, useability, practicality, comfort, brakes, and handling - my Prius with sat nav, solar roof etc is absolutely the best car I have ever owned! Three modes of motoring; electric, economy and power. Yes, POWER! The rise is smooth yet well damped and actually fun to drive.

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2000 diesel 1993

I have had my Corolla since September 2000. It has so far passed 10 MoT’s fault free and has done 125,000 without letting me down. My best buy ever!

Toyota Yaris multimode 2010

I’m having constant problems with left indicator not cancelling. I have had Toyota take a look at it and they say it’s normal!! They showed me the same on a new one. I still don’t think that is ok, he can show me 200 of them, it’s still a really bad design. But you can’t win against such a big company, I am not asking for a new car just a properly working indicator!

Responses to this review

And I thought it was only me! This is a very bad safety problem, I have had two near-miss bad accidents due to the left hand indicator not cancelling. The audible warning is useless if you have the radio on, the window open or the fan blowing and the visual warning sign is more or less opposite the front passenger and in sunny weather the instrument panel is invisible and whatever you do, don’t put any form of lights on before night time. I have driven Toyota cars for the last 20 years but never again, they’re not safe! - Tony Holland from Devon

I have experienced the same problems with the indicators, and after returning to Snows were the vehicle was purchased they were not interested. I further contacted Toyota who informed me that they have no reports of this being a fault and confirm the indicators cancel after turning the wheel 90 degrees. This may be so but still after many maneuvers, the indicators do not cancel. You cannot hear them when driving but Toyota has told me, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure the indicators are not left running and there is no requirement for them to cancel. They also inform me driver safety is their top priority but are not willing to rectify the problem. The salesman told me they fitted a louder warning on a car but the customer had to pay extra for this. I believe Toyota should either fit a louder warning or rectify the cancellation positions on the indicator arm, which they refuse to do and blame us drivers. I will not be purchasing another Toyota as I believe both the garage and Toyota have no concern for their customers’ safety - Chris Brett from Hampshire

Toyota Hiace 2000

I’ve had my Hiace about 11 years from new. Done 230 000 miles and only replaced tyres and break discs/pads. Best van out there by far. Have to replace it now though because of the low emmisions zone. Boo!

Responses to this review

Your Hiace is nice, I want to review them - Govern Kwaramba from London

Can’t believe the LEZ! I love my Hiace van but like you have to get a new van, but looking at a 2003 Hiace that passes. But money I don’t need to spend - Peter from Sussex

Toyota Hiace 2005

I’ve had my Hiace since 2005 and have covered 288k miles. It’s been regularly serviced I’ve only needed to change the clutch. I also have a 1998 Hiace, which has covered 327k miles and again I’ve only changed the clutch, plus a radiator. It’s still running on the manufacture exhaust and has just past its MoT with flying colours.

Responses to this review

Hello. Well I think I would like this but first I want to know how much you want to sell this bus before we proceed. I await your reply at robmanng147@yahoo.com - robinson chinedu from Nigeria

Toyota Yaris 1.4 Diesel SE 3 door d4d 2000

Purchased from new. The best car out there for value and build. Mileage to date is 108,000 miles and it’s never broken down, just keeps going. Same battery from new, replaced 2 cv shafts at 62,000 miles, 2 belts at 63,000 miles and 4 heater plugs at 92,000 miles. At the last fuel check a full tank returned 580 miles. It’s never failed an MoT, its next one is due in 4 weeks and it should go through o.k. Same clutch from new, tow bar from new and has pulled over half a ton in a trailer. What can I say? When this car was built they used good components, or I have just been lucky. The timing chain is due to be changed at 100.000 miles, but I will change it at 120.000. I have horse whipped this car and it keeps on going. Great car!

Responses to this review

Update on MOT: mileage - 109,385, 1.4 d4d local garage prep for MOT. Replaced c/v/boot and side light. Checked car over - no problems, passed MOT today for another year. Total cost from garage for MOT preparation £60.00 plus test £30.00. Great car - Maria Rogan from County Down

Toyota Rav4 2003

Loved it until I heard a little rattle that turned out to be the duel mass fly wheel, which cost £ 1,700 to put right. If you google ’rattle Toyota’, all d4d engines suffer the same problem.

Responses to this review

Had to have new fly wheel on my 2002 D-4/d three years ago and now been told new turbo charger and E-VRV costing approx £1,700. Love my Rav but surely it cannot be worth the outlay - Vicky Poulsomv from Hampshire

Agree. My wife’s 4D4 clutch gave out suddenly - in a torrential downpour in Hastings. Everything you don’t want all at once. And at only 52,000 miles? The bill was going to be £1,700 so we bought a new Rav4 instead. Pricey but worth it (we hope). Otherwise, I like it, good road manners, good for towing sheep trailer and good all round family lugger. But, buy fairly new or be prepared to spend a good deal of money when it goes wrong - Tony Greener from Sussex

Toyota Yaris SR 1.4 diesel 1999

I bought a Yaris 1.0 petrol in 2000 secondhand and still have it in the family. I was so pleased with it I bought another one secondhand 2 years ago, also T reg. When my Golf GT TDI had done 150,000 I decided to plumb for a Yaris SR 1.4 diesel and I love it. Like any 6 gear car, the gears are close and take some getting used to, but any difficulty going down gears is usually down to me not the car. Obviously I didn’t expect as much power as my old Golf, and I did note one of the reviews sarcastically called this model a "warm hatch" and that is fine with me. I have found a sufficient amount of "umph" to getaway (I am an ex motorcyclist so I know what power feels like) and since I have no desire to burn any hot hatches off from the lights, this car does lift up its skirts sufficiently to leave the dawdlers standing. The only real disappointment has been the strange "loss" of engine oil in between services. No sign of leaks and not burning it, anyway, a bit of persistance with the agent and they have offered to see if changing the turbo will improve the problem. It probably has needed one litre extra oil every 10,000 miles and my little car has now done 36000 since June 2009. By the way, I am 5’ 11" and have plenty of leg room both in the front and the rear. I also have enough leg room under the steering wheel for my 34" inside legs to not be jammed and the roof does not touch my head like some other bigger cars sometimes do.

Toyota Hiace 1996

Still going strong 168,000 miles, I just look at it and it starts in the morning. There is bit of rust but nothing compared to the Merc vans I have seen on the road. I have one complaint though, the travelling community always want to buy it off me and the police always stop me thinking I’m part of he travelling community. Best van I have ever had; oil flush once a year is the secret and always check the oil and water before any long distance. I don’t know a van that is any good in the snow especially with a bit of weight in it.

Responses to this review

I am the owner of a 1992 Mark 3 and am interested in the possible purchase of your van. I would like to discuss it further with you. Would it be possible for you to provide a contact number and/or arrange a viewing? - Liam Mooney from County Antrim

Toyota Aygo 2007

I bought my 07 plate Toyota Aygo six months ago with 21,000 miles on the clock. I am now having to replace the clutch for the 2nd time at a cost of £550. I know several people who have an Aygo and they have all had the same problem, there is definitely a problem with the clutch on these vehicles although Cheltenham Toyota deny this! Apart from that it is a fantastic little car, I’ve just driven to Glasgow in it (350 miles) and it cost me around £20 in petrol to get there.

Responses to this review

Funny this as I had to have my clutch replaced on my two year old Aygo! They said I must drive like a boy racer, but I think there is a fault on the car personally! - Rachael B from Cheshire

I’m a Toyota technician and I know there is an issue with the clutch on Aygos and so do Toyota as they have modified the clutch by making it bigger! - James Smith from England

Toyota Aygo 2010

I bought my Aygo 2010 plate direct from the dealer, I was so so excited to buy myself my first new car. Anyhow all was fab until 3 months in and the problems started. Firstly the back screen de-misters and wiper stopped working, had this replaced no problem under warranty. Then the FRONT of my exhaust started blowing and being so noisy particularly at around 3000 revs. The brakes appeared to be less and less responsive, steering heavy and the leather interior started falling apart...This is currently as we speak all ’hopefully’ being rectified. Also the petrol consumption isn’t as good as it boasts in my opinion, however, this could just be the way I drive :D. I cant fault the service I’ve had with Toyota at all, anytime I’ve had problems with the car they’re quick and easy to get us in to take a look at it. I’m just so so so disappointed that my new car has had so many teething problems. It’s put me off buying new again. Seriously want to try and change my car. Will update when I finally get my car back.

Responses to this review

Well, my car was fixed but I explained my disappointment to Toyota in which they gave me a cracking deal on an ’11 plate Yaris, so I’m chopping in my Aygo :( Can’t fault the customer service I’ve had with Toyota - Tilly P from England

Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVTI T2 2006

This is my first car - have had it now for three years and I absolutely love it, strange noise from the exhaust but am assured that it’s just because of the three cylinder engine. Great wee car, turns like a go-kart and is quite nippy when you want it to be. No matter how you drive it you always average over 50mpg but could easily achieve 60 if you’re Mr Eco. It feels solid and has a large cabin space - compromising boot space, but if you need more a larger boot, the rear seats slide far forward, but this leaves no rear leg room. For a second car or a wee run-about, it is absolutely fantastic. It copes well on the motorway averaging high mpg of up to 68. But it’s loud sitting just under 4000rpm at 70!

Toyota Aygo 5 Door, Blue 2010

I purchased my Aygo new from Toyota in Northampton on a 3 year PCP deal. 5 year Warranty, an extra £7/month for servicing whenever it needed it etc. So far I’ve done 14,000 miles in 10 months. Never had a problem with anything at all. Have had up to 76mpg on motorways without the aircon on and not going over 70mph. Average around 60mpg mixed driving with aircon on some of the time. The car will go up to 90mph in 3rd gear if you want it to (using the rev counter, no red zone) and will accelerate cleanly from 20mph in 5th gear. The engine is very flexible and the car is extremely easy to drive, it would make a good first car for you Son or Daughter when they’ve passed their test etc. The only issues I’ve had with it is the boot is a little on the small side and due to the small wheels / tyres, it can be a bit bumpy on our awful potholed roads. But other than that, the car is a gem and solid Toyota quality and 100% reliability. My Wife has a 12 year old Yaris that has done 115,000 miles, literally just had the original exhaust replaced. Nothing else, not even a bulb has gone! My sister has a new Prius and her partner a diesel Yaris. None of us have EVER had an problems with ANY of our Toyotas and we all expect it to stay that way. As of yesterday, I changed my Aygo for a new Urban Cruiser. Why you may ask? Simply because I need a bigger boot as I am a Kitchen Designer and need to carry lots of kit to customers homes. Otherwise, I would still have my soon to be very missed Aygo!

Toyota Aygo 2009

Purchased the Aygo 2009 from Hodgson Toyota. Loads of water inside then the clutch went at 13000 miles. After hours on the phone with no help at all I had to pay £570 to fix it! Toyota, what a joke never again!!!

Toyota Hiace Powervan 1999

Bought second Toyota, low mileage at only 150k, two years later not one single problem. Bullet proof motor, no rust, forgotten what its like to visit the garage! First hi ace was a 96 model, 198k off a market trader, sold it to my brother who has took it to 289k so far, again not a hint of trouble. Nothing to touch one of these if you want a good reliable workhorse, tow very well being rear wheel drive, great vans.

Toyota Avensis Saloon T2 2005

This is a reliable car with plenty of room in the back. It’s a comfortable drive. Many safety features installed and overall, a great car.

Toyota Rav4 2010

This sucks! I keep getting a problem with the brake system. Now I have a new 2011 Dodge Durango. I love it, so comfortable. I won’t buy Toyota anymore, there’s always a problem with the brake system.

Responses to this review

I’ve never had any problems. Great car, great dealers, if I had there is no way without a gun to my head that I would buy a Dodge. No offence intended - Sandy MacLennan from Ross and Cromarty Shires

Why am I not surprised to hear another American complain about the brakes on a Toyota? What a load of rubbish. There are no problems with the brakes at all. The only thing I would do with a Dodge is just that; dodge it! - Dylan Williams from Wrexham

As they say "only in America". Would anyone buy a Dodge in preference to a Toyota? Come to think of it, America is about the only place you can buy a Dodge! I wonder why? - George Campbell from East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)

Toyota Auris Hybrid T-Spirit 2010

The main reason for this post is to highlight a rather significant error in the main review above. In the Ride and Handling section, the review says - "The automatic transmission we feel occasionally leaves it a little too long before switching gears but only on very rare occasions, otherwise it has a smooth gear change." The Hybrid Synergie Drive uses a CVT transmission which doesn’t have any gears. It simply has forward backwards and nuetral. So it’s not surprising that the reviewer found the gear changes smooth, because there aren’t any. My personal experience of the Auris Hybrid is that it is a joy to drive, but it does require a different driving style that may not suit everyone. I decided to opt for the Hybrid becuase most of my driving is done on a daily commute of around ten miles. Most of which is at speeds of under 20mph. Therefore the Hybrid works brilliantly under these conditions and returns an average fuel consumption of around 55mpg.

Toyota Hiace 120 2009

Owned a Toyota 2.4 compact for 14 years best van I’ve had so I purchased a new one 09. It’s quality, it’s fast, it’s reliable, but I would prefere the model they sell in Japan; after all the Japanese don’t want the English model over there because the English model is too long with the engine up front too wide and with less room in the back and its harder to get in and out. Saying that it is still a good van, power steering very nice, steering wheel uses more diesel as it’s turbo and don’t like having a bulkhead as you can’t get long items inside and gets stuffy in the cab.

Toyota Aygo Auto 2009

Cheap car. Bad drive.

Toyota Hiace 120 300 2008

Third Hiace I’ve had, the dogs for me. Ok basic, but all you need. Starts every time, minus 15 last year, no problem. I had a petrol Hiace 1989 , sold it with 189000 on clock, met chap who bought it some years later (about 4 years) it had 253000 on the clock and was still running well. Really, no bull! VW Merc and the rest don’t compare.

Toyota Auris mmt 2011

I bought the car a 1.6 mmt spirit with all the extras. First trip out I was driving on a dual carriageway and went to overtake at around 45mph suddenly the accelerator pedal went straight to the floor and the cruise control light came on, I tried to knock out the cruise but nothing happened. I had to keep touching the brake to slow me down, about half a mile further I manged to pull in, knock it into neutral and still could not stop the engine using the stop button, and the engine was revving at around 6,000 revs. On kicking the accelerator pedal it came back to normal. I have never had an experience like that in 50 years of motoring. It happened a second time, in a built up area this time, I had to kick the accelerator again to release it from the floor and the cruise light came on again. This time I drove slowly for about 25 miles back to the main Toyota dealer. They plugged in their pc and we drove the car for about 5 miles trying kick down, it did not happen this time??? They seemed to think the floor mat may have slipped and jammed the pedal. I said why did the cruise control light come on on both occasions? Answer: Don’t know? They were to get in touch with technical dept. who have said they’ve not had this problem before? I love the car for comfort etc., but this has now made me very unsure whether there is a fault. I am not even sure whether I want to keep it now. If anyone has had a similar problem write a review.

Responses to this review

Really good car but have had the pedal stick to the floor too, pretty hairy! Took it to the garage but no fault found. Again, they blamed the floor mat for jamming the pedal down - Nicholas Ballard from Gloucestershire

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Petrol 2008

Bought car with 14000 miles on clock when two years old. After nine years and a further 145,000 miles we have had our first major problem. The Diff bearings in the gearbox have started to become noisy. Have been told it needs a new/replacement gearbox. Have just replaced car with another Yaris. 1.3 Petrol less than three years old. Am surprised at the number of people who have had gearbox problems although these seem to be on the multi mode box. We were very happy to buy another Yaris due to superb reliability of first car.

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1.5l Auto

Smooth, economic and with lots of power to give. Toyota made this Corolla to last, like all the other Corolla models and to give you comfortability when driving. When buying this car, you are automatically saying goodbye to the parts warehouse. All you have to do is a good service, replace the liquids when Toyota guides you to, and you’ll be getting a Toyota as good as new. Today, Toyata has a different technology in their gearboxes, called the Optimal Drive. These gear boxes give a lot of power combined with the engine hp and torque. With these drive trains, a 1.3 engine is as quick as a 1.6. My next Toyota will defo have this package.

Toyota Verso 1.6TR (7 seater) 2009

I bought this car from new when the family started to expand. After looking at the S-Max, Mazda 5 and Zafira, I decided on the new Verso. Normally I advise people not to buy a brand new model but took the chance and 18,000 miles later, I haven’t regretted it. My previous car was a VW Jetta diesel so took a wee while to get used to a petrol again but with 130bhp, it’s enough for my needs. The best part of the car is the space of the interior but to drive it feels like a mid-size hatchback. I’ve started using the third row since the family has extended again, it’s so easy to change the seating for whatever I’m needing it for. It’s had a few minor niggles, trim/fuses for power outlet plus the recall for the accelerator pedal but the Toyota garage has been faultless. My favourite gadget is the Bluetooth hands free for the phone. Only gripes are the interior plastics mark very easily and roughly finished in some areas plus the fuel consumption could be better.

Toyota Auris auto mmt 2008

Had to part ex my Auris automatic after nearly 3 years as did not like the gearbox. No matter what I did it would not drive smoothly and had no power to set off from scratch which made for dangerous driving. Dealer could not fix the problems although they are aware that this gearbox is not like. Loved the car, it was a t spirit with lots of goodies but hated the gearbox. Should not have had to swap it so soon, kept the previous Corolla which was fab for 5 yrs. Would have gone for another Toyota Yaris, but it had the same gearbox. Now back on a conventional auto gearbox and it is fun to drive again.

Responses to this review

I bought a ’07 semi-auto three months ago. The gearbox is a nightmare and dangerous at junctions and roundabouts. When slowing down to give way and not actually stopping, the gear occasionally gets stuck in 1st or 2nd when trying to increase speed. The revs go mental and the only way I have managed to change gear is manually. Toyota changed gearbox and carried out lots of technical stuff I didn’t understand at a cost of approx £3,000 under the warranty. It was very kind of them to do this without previously been able to find the fault. Unfortunately six days later, same problem! I intend to ring tomorrow - Alan from Staffordshire

I am having the same problem with my Auris much worse than yours maybe. My Auris gearbox was unpredictable. Sometimes it will just stick to first gear and it will go wild as it is very dangerous to drive because I have to stop my car to get it right. Next problem: I was driving in 40mph road then went uphill, guess what? The gear was stuck and didn’t engage or lower to second gear so I stop in the middle of the road uphill. That’s worse and very dangerous you have to stop before you get it right. I have been three times in Toyota and they couldn’t fix it and I have to go back again - Jess from London

Toyota Corolla Hatchback Automatic 2006

This is my second Corolla and apart from an annoying rattle in both car boots it has served me well, if they were still made I would by another although they are not as good as the Carina.

Toyota Auris T4 2010

I previously owned a 07 Toyota Prius, but found the touch screen controls, particulary the air con impractical, did not always work first touch and required taking your eyes of the road for too long. Also you never knew when the foot operated parking brake was on or off. I also found the steering rather vague and the interior finish rather cheap looking. The hybrid Auris has overcome all these problems by more conventional instrumentation , much stiffer body and consequently more positive steering. The interior finish is very smart particularly the wite stitching and the build qualiity is first class. The petrol with electic motors (power Setting)together give brisk acceleration at the expense of mpg. On Eco setting you should average 60mpg minimum. The Hybrid dial makes it easy to drive economically. I like it, lots.

Toyota Hiace 2002

Have had the van from 2003, very, very reliable!!! Only problem so far was the batteries failed but they were 9 years old! It starts first time every time and carries a load brilliantly which helps as I carry all types of flooring including carpet and contract vinyl. They are a bit basic but who cares? Less to breakdown. Have friends who drive other makes and constantly complain of high costs for parts and labour. My van on average costs around £300 to service including parts.

Toyota Yaris Zinc 2007

I love my little car! When going on trips it’s always my friends favourite because there’s loads of space for passengers. Only downside is the abismal size boot!! Can only just fit my shopping in and usually end up using the backseat. Had some major battery issues i.e. had to have it replaced after only 1 year and the dealer kept telling me different stories everytime I took it back when it died. I didn’t drive it enough/I shouldn’t use my sat-nat/All cars die in the winter (?!?!). But don’t let that put you off, it’s a beautiful little car!

Toyota Yaris 1.33 t spirit 2011

I found this website after I had ordered my Yaris so it was too late. There are some pretty daming reviews on this car. My Yaris was bought as a downsize from an 06 Zafira 1.6.So far, despite the reviews here my experiences with the Yaris have been good. The only time I have had any problems with the six speed box have been when getting it into 1st gear when using the stop start but that is only a minor irritation. Toyota may have sorted the gearbox on new versions. Build quality seems quite good and everything works as it should. The car is doing about 50-52mpg on a run at about 60-70mph and 38-40 round town. Reasonably quite at speed for a small car .Soaks up bumps round town quite well. Some body roll but ok. Steering well weighted. Overall not disappointed at the moment but I will update this site when the car has done a few more miles.

Toyota Aygo 2008

I bought a car from Car Craft, it’s not bad. After three months of driving the car the clutch went. I took it to the Toyota garage and they said depending on how you word the fault it will be under warrenty. If you say it has bad gear selection and clutch judders this is covered by the warranty, but if you say it is the clutch that has the problem it is classed as wear and tear. Hope this helps.

Toyota Camry 2.2 1997

Bought my Camry 5 years ago, had no problems with it at all, done 119000.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 tr 2008

Well pleased with my purchase of 6 months handling good, not a bad ride for size of car, petrol returns about 42mpg driving around cardiff. I do find gears notchy until engine warms up then ok. Also engine appears to be working very hard at 70mph. I think the build of the car is good, waiting to see what the new model Yaris brings in September 2011.

Toyota Aygo 2007

Bought Aygo, three years old, after three months, exhaust fell off. After seven months, clutch completly failed. Wear and tear they said, My Avensis 90,000 miles and my Auris 30,000 miles no problems. It’s my problem both Toyota and the garage I purchased it from said. This car is not Toyota standard.

Responses to this review

Hi James! I read your article. I am too a driving instructor. Can you add me up on Facebook? Search ’Topgear Malta’. I want to talk to you - thanks - Joseph from Malta

Toyota Aygo 2009

Hi everyone, I am astonished at the amount of people who are having problems with the Aygo.I am a driving instructor and was looking for a nice little car good on fuel. I ended up at my local toyota garage explained what I needed in a car due to my job I also wanted it automatic and they pointed to the Aygo. They said it would be the perfect car for teaching low tax and great on fuel. Within the first 6 months the clutch had gone took it back to Toyota they fixed it no probs. Thought that would be it, but I was wrong another 6 months passed and clutch had gone again. This time they said to me if clutch does go again I would need to pay but they will fix it this time as a good gesture. I was not happy about this and I spoke to the mechanic and he said the clutch keeps going because car is not suitable to be a learning car. Why did they sell me the bl**dy car then if they knew that was the case? Because they did not care and just wanted the sale? Anyway I was hoping this was not going to happen ,wrong again the clutch has gone again. I got in touch with local Toyota garage and they said I would need to pay for new clutch and it will be over £500. I am fuming not only did I lose money when my car went in the last 2 times to have clutch fixed as i was unable to take lessons but now they want over £500 which I don’t have. I got in touch with Toyota thenselves and they have said i will have to pay. I feel totally disgusted about the situation a they sold me that car knowing it would not be suitable for the purpose of my job. I told them exactly what I needed car for and they even fitted the dual controls for me. What makes it worse is that it has a automatic clutch so it’s not like my learners are riding the clutch or anything like that. I also don’t understand why they are making me pay for a new clutch as my car has a 3 year warranty on it. Would this not come under the warranty as it is a mechanical fault and not wear and tear? I am that fuming I have written to Trading Standards and Watchdog.

Responses to this review

Hi, you might be interested to learn that there is a Toyota Service Bulletin regarding ’Clutch Premature Wear’. The TSB number is CP-8007. The solution prescribed is to replace the clutch disc with one from a Toyota Yaris. This is of a larger diameter and apparently lasts longer. There was evidently a production change in October 2008 to fit the Yaris clutch as standard to all Aygos. Document reference is CP-0067T-1208-EN. It is also specified that the clutch cable adjustment should have been checked during pre-delivery inspection to ensure maximum clutch life. All documents available for a small fee on Toyota technical website - www.toyota-tech.eu/ I hope this helps - Craig from Ayrshire

I tried to get the information from the TSB CP-8007. It wasn’t possible to find it. You can not search for the number id CP-8007 or write anything at all in the "search" column. I tryed to find the info anyway and tried the hard way by searching the manual way. I find some documents about other problems there, but not the one about the clutch? And yes I paid for nothing - Johan Wahlsten from Sweden

Toyota Auris 2008

This is my second AMT car my first one was a 2005 Mitsubishi colt AMT. I am impressed by this car so much better. Don’t listen to all those people that slug off the automatic manual transmission. You just have to get used to it. If it’s your first car with this type of transmission it will feel that it is not good. It took me more than 6 months to get used to it ( on the colt). Now I know EXACTLY when a gear change is imminent, based on my revs, current speed, what gear is in the gearbox, pressure on the gas pedal. When I approach a roundabout I ease and regulate the pedal just enough to make 2 gear click in, then when I press the gas again if I hold it longer it keep 2 gear longer before change to 3. Also I have learned through experience with the car that if I have passengers gears will rev longer before change. Trust me when you get used to this autobox it is like you control it by telepathy. I am not an aggressive and this helps with this autobox. When you push it on up change you feel like you are thrown forwards. Also about the guy that already have changed 2 Electrical Power Steering boxes I have one suggestion. Never leave the car with the engine running and the steering turned more that halfway for any length of time. Always turn your wheels straight and only turn your wheel when you are about to move. That is because the motor of the EPS unit heats ups and shortens its life. And one advice to make your MMT last longer. On traffic jams don’t feather the gas on startup to cause the clutch to not be fully engage, be decisive so that it makes a clean start (jerk free). If you treat this car right it will last for ages.

Toyota Land Cruiser 3L Turbo Diesel Auto 2008

This is the third Land Cruiser (aka Prado in NZ) we’ve owned. Unfortunately, this one has had many issues. It has needed a new computer, injectors by 30,000k, a new diff and air-con pump by 80,000k. But the vehicle has proven versatile, robust and never let us down. Preceding issues have related to noise rather than outright breakdown. Our previous Prado (2005 diesel auto) cracked it’s head at 130,000k but local dealer hadn’t been doing coolant changes at Toyota so possibly corrosion may have caused the issue. Same vehicle now 160,000k still like new operation. First Prado (2002 3L turbo manual diesel) sold at 99,000k in favour of auto but radiator blockage for no apparent reason overheated in same week as the trade-in, this was fixed under warranty. Other than that, it was a great vehicle. Probably trade for another new one when current one reaches 100,000k.

Toyota Dyna 2004

Great van, easy to load up. I do reg 500 miles a week when got a full load. The brakes are a bit c**p, the gear box needs a 6th gear for more mpg to drop the rpm on motorway work or on a long stretch. Great for reversing into loading areas, solidly built, would buy another one, seats ok not kitted out for long distace, but all I can say its built like a good solid work horse.

Toyota Yaris SR 2008

I’m an ex-Yaris owner, bought a gorgeous looking red 08 SR which was 18 months old, with 11k on the clock from a car supermarket, replacing a trusty but ancient Fiat Punto. This was based on reading lots of magazine and internet tests, but not, alas, user reviews. Plus we all know how reliable Toyotas are meant to be. Big mistake was not giving it a long enough road test, having been seduced by the shiny paint and stunning visual condition. The fact that it had obviously been part exchanged after only 18 months should’ve given me a hint! The many problems made driving and owning a misery, so it was part exed for a new Citroen after 8 months, I lost about £2500 in the process. Faults - most of the ones already listed on this site. Gearbox was awful, always crunched going into second irrespective of technique, dealer said there was no fault. Engine was noisy and seemed to be working very hard, plus it wasn’t particularly economical, even when driven sympathetically. For a supposedly sporty SR model the performance was disappointing when pushed. Brakes were awful, either on or off, smooth driving was very difficult to achieve, dealer said that was normal for the type (and the Aygo, he admitted). The accelerator fault recall was annoying, but that’s life. The dash was rather flimsy and a bit rattley, didn’t seem very sturdy. The ride was poor, probably down to the low profile tyres I guess, note to self - don’t buy another car with those fitted. The car would stall at lights, certainly not down to my driving, doesn’t happen with my other cars, engine didn’t seem to have much inertia. The inbuilt satnav (Tom Tom) was over complex and fiddly to use. The local main Toyota dealer was unsympathetic to my complaints, always fobbed me off and treated me like an annoyance. In the end both myself and my wife got to hate the thing with a passion so it had to go. The car seemed to be underdeveloped, far too many faults got through to production. Friends tell me that earlier models of Yaris they owned had been excellent, this latest one is a real lemon. If you must buy one I urge you to do a long road test first, I didn’t and paid for it dearly. Also take what the professional revewers write with a pinch of salt. Lesson learnt for the future.

Toyota Rav4 3dr NRG 2001

I have owned my RAV for just over a year and having owned a multitude of cars, this is by far my best buy. Admittedly a little small when full of children and the dog, it is totally reliable, solid, zippy, economical and great fun to drive. In the snow its been a godsend, achieving hills that other large 4x4s have struggled with. I would certainly stick with the RAV and get another.

Toyota Hiace lwb 1990

I’ve had a Hiace van for 16 years. So far still going stong, the best van I’ve had, just wish Toyota would import the new Hiace to the UK.

Responses to this review

Hi, are you selling your Toyota Hiace? - Saqib A from Yorkshire

Hi, I have an ’89 diesel Hiace for sale - one owner, 86k miles. Call 0780 298 9137 - Imran Haq from Lancashire

Toyota Hiace 280 2011

What can I say so far, other than what have I been missing all of these years?! The price, the build, the spec, the drive, mpg, are all second to none with this van!! And over the years I’ve owned quite a few vans, why aren’t these vans the market leader? Wake up Britain!

Toyota Auris mmt 2009

Hi guys , I totaly agree with people having problems with mmt gear box. I was thinking of buying one but while test driving I noticed the problem with the gear box, it’s not smooth especially 2nd and 3rd gear, very short, the car drops its revs and you feel thrown forward at times. When I told the dealer they said you will get used to it , and learn the trick to take pedal of accelator, which is bull ****t! Anyhow thanks for you guys giving honest reviews, this will help lot of people.

Toyota Yaris 2007

To all of those unfortunate people who have suffered problems with the Yaris, I sympathise, I have suffered too, and Toyota have never been helpful. However, I have cured my gearbox problem. In the cold weather, Toyota’s gearbox oil causes the problem, (they of course will not admit this). 1st, 2nd and reverse gear no longer crunch or stick after changing gearbox oil to a 50:50 mix of Redline MT90 and Redline MTL. (need a 1 litre bottle of each--gearbox takes just under 2 litres) Both oils are within manufacturer spec of GL4-- Toyota handbook says you can use GL5 but DO NOT USE GL5 UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, it will mess up the gearbox synchro. After I did this change, even in the freezing weather of December and the snow, the gear changes were buttery smooth, and still are. 1 point Raj, Toyota fail! Good luck.

Responses to this review

Is this on an automatic? The weather is fairly cold right now and I have to accelerate a good amount in order for the car to shift into second (2008 Yaris) - Cliff from United States of America

Toyota Auris 1.6 Multi Mode 2011

I have been driving a Mazda 6 2.5 SL for the past 3 years and before that Audi A4 and BMW 3 series. Because of finincial reasons i had to take the plunge and go for a more eco car, I have driven the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and the Renault Clio but decided on the Toyota Auris as none of the competition came close, I have now owned the car for only a few days but am very pleased with it, It may not turn heads but I bought it for my own pleasure and not for the public. What has ’What Car’ got against Toyota? They should join up with those on that Bottom Gear tv programme. I feel very satisfied when I get behind the wheel of this car and am looking forward to years of happy motoring.

Toyota Yaris D4D, MMT 2007

Good engine and nothing else. Two times had a problems with the gear box and fortunately in the warranty period. A lot of service bulletins related to the air bags, to the gear box and gas pedal. The fuel consumption is nearly 7 litres in the city which is not that economical. After the warranty I had a problem with the ABS sensors. After testing at a Toyota workshop I have been told that a sensor and wiring must be replaced costing €200. I simply cleaned the connectors to the sensors and there are no problems until now, BUT WHAT WILL BE NEXT??? The car is below 30000 kilometers :( TOYOTA YARIS-IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND WASTE OF TIME VISITING THE WORKSHOPS AND MAKING THEM RICH.

Toyota Auris 2011

The Auris comes. It’s the time chimes for the hybrid motor. As a motor industry mix, it’s a Herculean effort to throttle the many-headed Hydra of environmental catastrophe. A classic gesture for our times? Does it amount to nectar and ambrosia, or a disappointing tinful of processed rice pudding? I have to tell you that when I was stuck in a jam, I felt a real ’jammy dodger’ for this is the car that serves up sweetness on a plate without the nasty afterbite of hefty fuel and fume costs. With a jolt of volts, you’re on a roll (and it comes up ’lucky six’ everytime) with a lucky double of power alternatives under the bonnet. The Hybrid Synergy Drive technology comprises a 98bhp 1.8 4 cylinder petrol engine and an 80bhp electric motor driving through an electric CVT transmission controlled by a small lever/switch - just like the one used to control the USS Enterprise. This is not my favourite transmission system, but it does convey the feeling of a continuous power band. It’s not so much a hybrid, but more a way of life - and more a way of giving good sense a whirl. So - if you’re very green, the Auris could be the start of a beautiful friendship for you. My pal Dr. Frankenstein - who has always had a healthy interest in hybrids - swears by his. What one may lose in terms of rorty driving pleasure, one gains in relaxation behind the wheel and the mental relaxation of knowing one is doing the right thing for the right reasons at the right time and at the right place. Leave the fast lane ’johnnies’ to their own devices: for them perdition is just around the corner. But for you, you’ve turned the sunny corner towards commonsense, civic responsibility and consumer satisfaction. The new exterior styling of this 5 door 5-seater, very practical family hatchback (It’s also available with conventional petrol or diesel power) which, with the Navigation Pack and Pearlescent paint, costs a whopping £23,172 OTR in ’T Spirit’ spec. as tested - is pleasant and appealing. Inside it’s easy to get comfortable, with supportive seating and ample room to stretch out. The top T Spirit specification includes such features as Leather and Alcantara upholsterey, a rear view camera and cruise control: to name but three. You’ll also find the usual electrically powered adjuncts to modern motoring for the terminally atrophied. Similarly, life saving airbags abound - but these inflatable salvationists release noxious gases. A proper ’Greenist’ would surely sacrifice himself on the altar of purity, in line with his electric motor. Typical Toyota fixtures and fitting say, good ergonomics, good quality, good asembly and bomb-proof durability: it is a Toyota after all. The nickel metal hydride batteries don’t noticeably intrude on available space and the boot is only slightly compromised, but is big enough for most needs. Only a non-green cad though, would take excess luggage in these straitened times. Having driven this car for many test miles your correspondent was most impressed by the seamlessly smooth performance, excellent handling and fine ride qualities and the overall relaxing driving experience. (And so too was my most experienced colleague who has driven everything from a Stanley Steamer to The Batmobile. His declaration that "I like this car" was praise indeed). Whether bimbling in eco mode, whizzing in ’responsive’ sport mode to 112mph, or crawling in traffic on battery power alone, I wonder if the time has come to jetison uncertain connotations that append to the ’hybrid’ label and accept that Toyota have indeed ’squared the circle’, punched the ball in the eye, so to speak, and achieved what - for want of a better word - one might call ’total motoring’. There is a downside though. Boldly, Toyota claim 70.6mpg for urban, extra urban, and the combined cycle. I have to tell you now that, try as I might, the best figure obtained by your tubby correspondent was 64 mpg when pedalling gently. Urban consumption was considerably heavier and when scalping the Auris and using full afterburner, a thirst developed. That said, no longer should the hybrid represent in motorists minds, some sort of Jekyll and Hyde yoking together of incompatibles - for if ever there was a marriage of true minds, a settling of differences and a summit meeting of motoring maestros, then this has consummately been achieved in the twinning of internal combustion and ingenious electrics. The net result? A bright spark in anyone’s language. In today’s amphitheatre of alarm where worried motor manufacturers look heavenwards for inspiration as the gathering enemy growls, Toyota deserve the imperial thumbs-up for emerging victorious and spooning our future medicine in a sublimely acceptable way. The likes of Richard Hammerhead and Jeremiah Clark of Reverse Gear fame might well regard it as castor oil and grimmace - but Nanny knows best given the state of the planet today.

Toyota Aygo Blue 2010

After owning two Totota Yaris cars, I am very dissapointed with the Aygo.

Toyota Picnic 1998

We bought our 2-litre automatic 7-seater Picnic new in 1998. As we wanted 6-7 seats and Japanese reliability the choice of vehicle was limited, but we have never had a moment’s regret. The seating may not be as flexible as some newer cars, but the two rearmost are at least proper seats, and when they are removed they leave a vast space. Pity the middle bench can’t be removed or folded flat, but you can’t have everything. Performance is adequate, the 3+1 speed auto box being high-geared and relaxing, but allowing good acceleration when you floor it. Petrol consumption is so-so, as you would expect from a 2-litre auto of this vintage. The car has now done 98,000 miles and has never let us down. It’s been regularly serviced at the recommended 9000 mile intervals, including a cambelt change every 5 years. The alarm became erratic a year or two ago, a fairly common problem I understand, so now I just use the key to operate the central locking. Apart from tyres, exhaust, battery and other consumables the only replacement part has been a set of HT leads last year to fix an intermittent misfire.

Toyota Hiace SWB 2008

Having read the reports on this site about the problems with rusty Mercs, the new Transits, and the problems the rest of the vans that you all have reported; I have bought a 08 just in waranty Toyota Hiace. Took it to main dealer for free 2hr check up before it turns 60K and 3yrs. Came out with glowing colours. I drive like the old man that I am and it returns 42mpg !!!! That’s tank top up to top up. No motorways or long journeys not loaded up. Will report any problems But thanks you all for your comments helped me decide.

Toyota Verso 2.0 Diesel 2005

I bought my Toyota in the middle of 2005 and it has been very economical and comfortable; consumption 5-6 l/100km. I could take all furniture from Ikea due to the flat surface created after folding the second and third row.

Toyota Hiace 300 LWB 120BHP 2010

Bought van July 2010, extras inc alloys, front fogs, rear parking, metallic, wind deflectors. Pushed price up quite a bit, (looks much better though) no probs with van, but niggles, needs another gear, very poor in snow, noisy on the motorway, old fashioned switchgear etc. But to be fair build quality is excellent, and I just know this van will last a long time. I traded in my transit (56 plate) 65000miles, a much nicer drive than Hiace, but nothing but trouble, back at ford 8 times, letting in water, egr valve, riddled with rust, remote locking, etc. The Hiace has its faults, but its still way better built than any of the competition.

Toyota Hiace swb 2010

Bought new Hiace swb in September, really pleased with it. Use mine mainly as a car so had to pay the dreaded vat. Still good value though and if you shop around you can get for £10,995 plus vat. Great build quality and hopefully will prove reliable. Was going to buy new transporter but prices ridiculous and poor reveiws so opted for Hiace. Tows my caravan well, fuel consumption not fantastic but reasonable for a van. used mine in all the snow recently and with it being rear wheel drive didn’t like going up hill too much. If you’re looking for a good reliable work horse with electric windows, mirrors, abs and aircon for the price definitely buy a Hiace.

Toyota Aygo GO 2011

I bought the AYGO GO after owning a Peugeot 107 for 4 years. A major selling point for me was the sat nav and Bluetooth which are standard with this model. What no one bothered to tell me was that this was done in conjunction with Apple Corp. and as a result I have had immense problems getting the Bluetooth to work with my phone. Tom Tom here no help at all and more or less said that they could not be held responsible for their unit not working with any particular phone. My phone is however on their list of compatible models. Surprise, surprise though. My daughter’s iPhone works perfectly with it. If you don’t have an iphone and expect your tom tom to work, you might be disappointed. A major blunder when marketing a great little car.

Responses to this review

I have to disagree. You turn on the bluetooth on your phone and the Tom Tom finds it. I have a Samsung and a Sony and both work fine. The wife has a Nokia and that works fine also, connects straight away - Aygo GO! from England

I must agree with the review regarding the issues you have with pairing your phone to the sat-nav. I too had problems, not with pairing the phone but not being able to use all the functions on the sat-nav i.e not able to use the text function because my phone was not compatible. My phone is only a few months old and it wasn’t on the compatible list. However, I did have a old phone that was on the compatible list and now I’m using that instead of the new phone. I think the software that was used in the sat-nav is truly out of date and I think TomTom need to come up with a up to date software that can be used with new phones - Stuart Banks from Lancashire

Toyota Aygo 2010

Love my Aygo!! I have had no problems whatsoever. Low tax, insurance and running costs! Wouldn’t hesitate to have another. Can fit my daughter’s pushchair in the boot and still have room for shopping.

Toyota Hiace lwb power van 2001

Had it from new, now 158,000 miles, passed every mot and has cost me only tyres brake pads. Serviced reg, what a great van! About to get a new one, I hope it’s as good as the last.

Responses to this review

Hi, Just wondered if you got the new van? Did you sell the old one? If not, I may be interested. Please call me - 07766 171213. Cheers - Stewart Holt from Cheshire

Toyota Land Cruiser 2006

I have an 06 Commercial and it is absolutely brilliant so they are but I’m only getting 19mpg and that’s just cruising around 80-100kph.

Toyota Hiace powervan swb 2000

My last van was a VW t4 and cost £5,500. It was all a bit too posh and sophisticated for me, so I sold it and got my powervan 8 months ago for £1,500 and I love it! It’s done 165,000 miles. Good points: Instant starter even in -15c, fantastic build quality, no rust, can legally carry 1210kg and handles well under a full load, I get 35 mpg, great to drive and feels totally solid and reliable, basic and easy to maintain, low geared so plenty of torque. Bad points: The low gearing makes it unsuitable for those who want to cruise at 80 mph (which is fine for me..I think we should all chill out and slow down a bit!) Overall, I’m happier with this van compared to all the others I’ve had. It’ll last me many years, I wont be selling it. You can keep yer over-priced Transporters and rusty Vitos etc. The Toyota powervan is built to last!

Responses to this review

I am looking for this car here in South Africa, I am in the eastern cape province east london - Pumzile Elvis Komanisi from South Africa

Toyota Hilux 2008

I have had a Hilux since 1988. Today I have a 2008 and still running and working off road the 88 model. Hilux, priceless, for everything else there’s Mastercard!!!

Toyota Aygo Blue 2008

Bought this Aygo as a run around for my wife and as a first car for my teenage children to learn to drive in. Ideal or so I thought, when my wife first started mentioning water in the boot I blamed it on the glass hatch tipping water in when opened. She would often say how it was always steaming up and needed the air con all the time. Recently, however, after a heavy downpour the rear seat was sturated and the boot lining sopping wet. I emptied the boot and found 2 inches of water! Went to my local dealers and mentioned all the write ups I have since found on the web,they replaced all the light clusters, even though it was just outside warranty, cost me half hour labour. Update: First sign of rain and yes the boot is saturated, going in again this week!

Toyota Yaris 2010

I bought my 1.33 vvti Manual Yaris in 2010 and have mixed feelings about it after driving many other small hatchback vehicles in the same class. On the plus side the car has a nice driving position and is fairly well equipped in the cabin, boot space is not bad with the option of sliding rear seats too enhance room, engine is fairly quiet but needs to be revved to achieve any decent acceleration. On the negative side the Gearbox is not that smooth and ratios are very clunky, especially 1st & 2nd. Cabin plastics can squeak and creak a little which can be annoying. Suspension is not good on rough terrain and cabin vibrates badly in these circumstances. Stop/Start technology is extremely tempremental and fails to operate in ambient temperatures under 5 degrees celcius...??? I have found that it doesn`t really operate normally until ambient temp is over 10 degrees celcius, which is very poor considering that if you live in the UK this could equate to 4 months driving per year. If this car did not have a 5 year warranty I would advise people to look elsewhere or at least test drive before you make a purchase!!!

Toyota Corolla Verso 2.0 D-4 2004

Bought this car at 83000 miles in 2007 and the Engine Management lights lit up on the dashboard after about 4 months. Toyota dealers said the diagnosis report was faulty glow plugs and reset the EMU. Lights came on again within days and same diagnosis. I took it for a service at an independent garage and they expressed doubts that there was any problem with the glow plugs. 4 harsh winters later with first time starts every morning, it is clear that there is no problem with the car’s glow plugs but lights have stayed on. A/C unit bearings started failing and car developed a terrible rattle. Toyota wanted £1200.00 to repair. Also Diesel started leaking into the engine badly. Toyota garage wanted £700.00 to replace some rail accross the top of the engine. Took car into independent garage and £40.00 later car is given an all clear in terms of any leaks, EMU is suspected to be causing oversupply of diesel. Another £150 secures a temporaryu fix to AC problem whilst a second hand unit is searched for. AC eventually failed completely and rattle stopped. Bliss. Even if it means sweaty summers. Hey, who cares I saved £1200.00. I can get a lot of Pina Colladas for that. Latest issue is car Shudders violently at start with no fuel supply and engine runs rough with no power. Called AA out, diagnosis, yeah you guessed it, faulty glow plugs. The experienced AA mechanic had never seen anything like it but confirmed there was no way it had anything to do with the glow plugs. I have stopped taking the car to Toyota and accept I have a car that lights up more than a christmas tree. I will run this car ’til it gives up the ghost and will never again touch a Toyota with a barge pole. Apologies to anyone hoping for a resale value on their Toyota. Look on the bright side, it will always have a higher scrap value than if sold as a runner, afterall: AC - £1200 Mystery rail - £700 Glow plugs...who knows but must be worth your while,etc. My Toyota is not going to be your Toyota.

Toyota Aygo platinum 2008

Have now had my Aygo 2 weeks, read the reviews after I had bought so bit worried when we had heavy rain, but no problem and no damp! So far loving my car, downsized from a corolla and loving the gap between filling up with petrol. No downsides yet, let’s hope that lasts.

Toyota Rav4 XTR 2010

I needed to urgently replace my aging Subaru Legacy and the only diesel 4x4 with a CO below 160gm available for immediate delivery was the RAV4, I took delivery at the end of October 2010. The car basically does what it says on the tin, the handling is fine, ride a bit hard, but the build quality, climate control and kit fitted as standard is first class. Although I have read reports of the engine being gruff, I find it very smooth, powerful and quiet - the clutch/gearbox is smooth and easy to make good changes. The fuel consumption is a bit disappointing, I get 43 mpg on the same journey that I regularly got 50 mpg from my diesel Subaru, which had exactly the same CO2 and combined figures as the RAV 4. Dealers seem a bit patchy, one I bought from was superb, local dealer is rubbish - does not ring you back and you can hang on for ages before they answer the phone and put you through to the wrong person. I am not keen on the side opening rear door, but the vehicle has good inside space and passengers seem happy. I found the headlights very poor, perhaps because I had xenon on the Subaru - have had a xenon conversion, but they are still not great. All said, the RAV4 is good value for money, the 5 year guarantee now matches the Koreans and it is starting to grow on me - I like the restrained styling and trim, the feeling of solidity and the conventional handbrake, indicators etc - my MD dislikes his new BMW 5 series because of mass of silly gimmicks and having driven it a couple of times, I am glad to get back in my RAV 4, which has an old fashioned almost old Mercedes like build and feels as if it will last forever.

Toyota Yaris Stop start 2010

This underpowered car stops in traffic, which is great, snag is, you have to pray it comes on again because, sometimes it decides not to. Clutch down? No help. Off and ignition again? No chance. It wants you to wait a good 30 seconds before it will allow you to start it. I could have got out of the car and kicked it, Basil Fawlty style. NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I GET A TOYOTA.

Responses to this review

I have a Yaris 1.33 VVTI manual and my Stop-Start technology has a mind of its own, for the whole of December and most of January this technology did not work at all! My dealer informed me that in ambient temperatures below 5 C it will not engage! But I have driven the car the 2 weeks in ambient temperatures of 8-12 C and it still doesn`t work properly? In a nutshell the Stop-Start Technology has not been tested enough and is very poor and tempremental to say the least - Anthony Smith from Hertfordshire

Toyota Hiace d4d 280 gs 2002

Owned the van from new and have covered 153k miles. Only the batteries let me down once, replaced them both and no trouble since. Replaced clutch at 83k miles, had started slipping but this was my fault according to mechanic for not using 1st gear to set off! original exhaust, brake discs etc. I have a full service every 12k. I try to limit my cargo, I am a gas engineer so occasionally carry max weight but generally only about 300kg load. I can easy achieve 440 miles off a 60 litre tank which is 33mpg. with galv full length roof rack achieved 400 miles per tank, 30mpg and with cat ladders and triple ladders on rack would only get 360 miles-27mpg. When driving as carefully as possible to achieve max mileage per tank I managed 487miles-36.5mpg. Would not attempt 500 miles per tank takes forever to get anywhere! Very sluggish compared to Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall Vivaro variants but so reliable, I have absolutely no intention of replacing and I don’t doubt that it will be a great servant for another 8 years.

Toyota Hiace 2002

Hi, I have just purchased my second Toyota Hiace Lwb 300 I just wish that I had done it years ago. The only down side I would say is the fuel economy could be a little better, but just make sure the tyres are well pumped up and drive carefully problem solved. Over all it beats the Vauxhalls, Renaults, Citroens even the VWs that we all know suffer terribly with gearbox problems etc, etc, etc, and will cost you an absolute fortune to maintain. If you read this and are stuck what to buy do yourself a favour buy a Toyota Hiace it will be stress free driving from here on without the worry of breaking down and costing loads of money. I have noticed a couple of complaints from other people on here but everyone likes to moan about something from time to time.

Toyota Prius T3 2010

Looking for economy that can be handled on a pension I looked at several makes that have low RFL and good MPG. My car at the time was the Audi A4 Avant and my wife had a 150bhp Zafira Auto. The test drive was a revelation because not only is the Prius big and roomy inside its very quiet and rapid (for its power/weight ratio). So far trundling about town I get 45mpg. (most trips are 2 miles with a max of 12 in town traffic of Ipswich. We’ve yet to do a long run but would expect around 50, which compares with my Audi. Where I shall miss out is in the midrange acceleration and at the top end. Both the Audi and Zafira would do the 50-100+ in very short order. I don’t expect to corner on rails but it’s still very stable when driven "correctly" or sensibly. Remember economy comes from driving with a good understanding of what the traffic around you is doing so that brakes are rarely used. If you need them the Prius has very good brakes and for long downhill stretches there is the engine brake on the gear-change. So far Toyota reliability and build quality is very good. The "acid test" is would I buy another? Big YES. My Prius is the 1500cc and even though the 1800 is only a little faster on the 0-60 it would I think be more economic on the motorways. Where my Audi was "outstanding" the Prius is "very good". If it continues with the same reliabilty as the Audi it will gain even more points. Curiously the one thing that is not advised is "tweaking" the engine computer for more BHP.

Toyota Hiace SWB 2000

I bought my Toyota van 4 years ago with 130,000 miles on the clock, it now has 202,000 and performs brilliantly. Always starts first time, no mechanical problems at all and a good handling vehicle. Can carry a good load and is quite nippy in traffic. Yes, they are pretty basic vans, but if you want reliability and a well engineered engine then look no further than Toyota.

Toyota Hiace 2003

My son and myself have been driving a Hiace the past few years. Main problems at the beginning was the battery never keeping a charge, been checked in service, nobody really cured. Not easy to work at in general, timing belt a pain and not cheap, engine noisy all times. Biggest problem last month after full service (149k), it blew a big end just after getting of the boat heading to bonny Scotland,s o sad thing is i’ts not worth towing back home with boat costs etc. I was quoted £650 for engine including delivery to garage in Scoland, Is it worth the risk and cost of repair? Going for free to good home.

Toyota Yaris 2007

Bought Toyota because told they were reliable. Done 31,000 miles and car is a few months out of warranty. We have now started getting problems with the gears. It started grating into reverse and we had to turn off engine to get it into gear. Now it is very hard to get it into any forward gear. We are now having to get a new clutch fitted.

Responses to this review

The clutch needs adjusting as it is not fully disengaging. It can happens on all cars - Steve Den from England

Toyota Hiace 2010

Done 17000 miles in mine good van keep tyres up to 55 at least for good mpg also run snow tyres in winter they work well had a 50 mph head on smash, van was a right off but I walked away with a sore leg. Great van, buying another one, had vw transporters for 15 years what I have missed out on! Well better late than never. PS Would like 6 gears, even better mpg if they did one, the 120 bhp is the best I think. Well hope this helps you decide when you buy a van, cheap to maintain as well compaired to VW I had.

Toyota Hiace diesel automatic 1998

I’m writing about a mates experiences with SurfAce, TownAce and HiAce day-vans (or picnic wagons as I call them) VERY BAD although the vehicles were all about ten years old. The automatic gearboxes gave a lot of trouble refusing to change up into top gear until they were hot (old fluid and clogged filters?) Head gaskets blew as the vehicles were apt to boil on steep hills. After one repair the mechanic (not me!) made the gaffe of fitting a new oil filter without noticing that the old rubber ring was still stuck to the block. It was a pitch black night, no moon, no stars and no street lamps where the Ace spewed out its oil. I was called out to tow the beastie back but I don’t think this helped the transmission which was pretty knackered anyway. (Not many transmissions have a second hydraulic pump on the output shaft these days but the old Borg-Warner 35s from the 1960s could be towed OK) On that night all our torches mobile phones and cigarette lighters chose to fail and as those Toyotas are hard enough to work on in daylight over a pit, fixing it in the dark, cold and filth wasn’t really possible. The van survived for a few more months but rolled-over on a bend when the driver over-corrected after nodding off. According to the AA man these Aces are top of his list for roll-over incidents as the track width is so narrow compared to the height. (Japan taxes vehicles on width). There are also no Haynes manuals for these vehicles. Hopefully newer models are better but my impressions of Japanese machinery are that spares are extremely costly and back-up is difficult to obtain.

Toyota Hilux 2010

Hi! I have had my Hilux now for 6 months and the thing is awsome, I had a l200 before and the Hilux is a much better vehicle. I have driven all pickups in the double cab range and the Hilux came out ontop in all areas. If you want a good quality pickup then you won’t go wrong buying a Hilux.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Purchased Sept. 2008, quite pleased with general performance, but disappointed with the glove box which keeps opening (at present kept closed with white tack). I have been told the door could be removed but not replaced! Had to have a new starter motor (under warranty) and two new front tyres. Now exhaust blowing after 18,500 miles, not under warranty. Not happy with this and going to investigate further as do not think valid considering mileage. Thankfully no leaks to date. General performance satisfactory. Dealership...Marsh Toyota, Paignton, fantastic service, especially since my husband died.

Responses to this review

Margaret, I also had the problem with the glove box door and so has my mother. We both have identical models, i.e. 58 Aygo blues. I got my dealer to replace the door under the three year warranty. They said everything was covered including the glove box. My exhaust has also gone, the pipe has completely detached from the silencer. It has done 40,000 miles though so it’s no great surprise - Mark Caines from Middlesex

I have an 08 Aygo blue with 22,680 miles on the clock and my exhaust back box has just fallen off. Something I didn’t expect for a reasonably new car with low mileage. I also had glove box problems when I first got the car but the garage fixed this under warranty - Brenda Casey from Dumbartonshire

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 2007

The 4 cyl VVTI 1.33 Yaris I think is good value for money especially if one compares with the competition. Yes there are minor niggles, but are there not on most other cars as well? For me I am content and happy with my purchase. I know Toyota to be a well built car that lasts. Plus the resale value of a well maintained Yaris is greater than most of its competiton say after 3 yrs! The 4 cyl petrol VVTI is a good well proven reliable engine. The ride is nice and solid and safety specs high. Had very few difficult gear selections but they are occasionally there! For me I just select the opposing gear after I have diffulity with a particular gear selection and then re-select my selected gear which engages with no difficulty. From an MOT point of view many old Toyotas are still sailing through with a VT20 whilst many other vehicles of the same size and age are sitting in the scrap yards! I think you may find also that Toyota is rated the Worlds No 1 car manufacturer!

Toyota Hiace 2009

Only owned the van just over a month. fantastic van very well made. looked at VW, decided not to due to owning an Audi which has given many expensive problems, in comparison the Toyota is simple and that’s the gem. The van is comfortable and roomy inside the cabin. Everything works every time no computer bleeps. If you’re in the market for a medium van consider your options carefully. I based my choice on many reviews and the Toyota was always rated well. Hope this helps anyone wanting to buy a Hiace. 10 out of 10 and that’s genuine.

Toyota Aygo Sport 2006

I bought the car in 2007 with 7000 miles on the clock. The following year the doors seals leaked which was repaired by Toyota free of charge. I have serviced it when required and its been fine to date. I can get 500 miles on a full tank, £20 RFL and £10 a month ins, beat that if you can. It’s now done 44000 miles on motorways, dirt tracks and pot holed ridden country lanes and its still fine. I even purchased a roof rack for it to carry around my bikes. Only downside is it’s 3 door, there were no 4 door models around when I bought it.

Toyota Corolla Verso 1.6 2005

I have a Corolla Verso, 70k km on it. The engine failed over Christmas and it’s going to cost £4000 to repair the engine. It is 5 years old and out of warranty. Absolute madness! Oil was due a change at 12 months mark but still an engine should not fail if only one month overdue a service. Rightly p***ed off and boycotting Toyota now for the rest of my life. Don’t buy this car, if you have one change the oil every 6 months or it will fail. It’s known that these fail in the trade and the engine never outlasts the bodywork. 4k can buy me a 10 year old Merc with better reliability!

Toyota Hiace lwb 1996

Well, I’m just selling my old 96 model as I’m lucky enough to have a nice shiny 10 plate on the drive. I didn’t even contemplate another van, nor will I. The only breakdown was the diff went, but the van worked hard over the 8 years I have owned it, pulling around 600kg’s daily. I’m just hoping that the new one performs as good as the old one has.

Responses to this review

Hi, I need a Toyota Hiace. Anyone selling one? - Saqib A from Yorkshire

Toyota Yaris SR 1.33 2009

I bought the Yaris SR 1.33 in 2009. Awesome little car for running around town in. Cheap to run, a nippy car! Unfortunately I hit black ice and the car rolled. I walked away unharmed. A safe and reliable little car. I will buy it again and would highly recommend it.

Toyota Auris Saloon 2010

Can not meet alledged mpg. Do not like camera in rear view mirror, seems more suited for left hand drive, would prefer rear sensors.

Toyota Auris Hybrid 2010

Just test drove one of these, loved it so much I bought one. Do not believe negative comments on other sites, go and try one for yourself.

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2004

I bought this car from new, no problems with it at all, very reliable, just wish they still made them.

Toyota Yaris 1.8 sport 2007

I brought this car from new, and its been a real pleasure to drive, the only problem being the fuel consumption (it did not meet manufacutuers figures) but that could be down to my husband and my driving (not moving up the gears quick enough, so my son tells me.) Never had any problems with performance or reliablility. Overall a beautiful little car that feels a lot bigger than it is.

Toyota Yaris zinc 2007

I am recently having a problem with my Yaris. After 3 years with no problems and only 13,483 miles on clock I’m experiencing a judder when I reverse my car; it only happens when the car is cold but handles OK otherwise. I have noticed a few other people have the same problem but Toyota refuse to accept this.

Responses to this review

Condensation on clutch plate, happens on most cars - Steve from England

Toyota Hiace panel van 2002

The Toyota Hiace van is simply the greatest van ever built. I bought my first one in 2002, the start of the d4d models and it never once failed to start, in hail rain or snow. I put 230,000 miles on her and she was as sweet as a nut when she left my yard to a new owner. I’m a plumber by trade and the Hiace was ideal for my line of work. With great low down torque it would pull two ton no problem. When my mates where buying the likes of transporters and reno masters and vivaros, they were shelling out big money on the likes of floating fly wheel problems (VW) knackered diesel injectors (Renos)and electrical problems (Opel & Vauxhall) I was motoring away like a mouses heart. To sum it all up I’ve built my business on the strenght of reliability thanks to the Toyota and that’s why I always drive one.

Responses to this review

Loved the write up! ESP motoring away like a mouse’s heart - Nick from Hampshire

Toyota MR2 2005

I have a 2005 MR2 and love it to bits. Its’ the second one that I’ve had. Ok, there’s not a lot of shopping space, but what’s up with online shopping/home delivery ?? Having said that, we often go away for long weekends in mine and there’s enough space for 2 holdalls behind the seats and boots etc under the bonnet, you just have to learn to travel a bit lighter! In most situations this car is an absolute pleasure to drive, but you do have to remember it’s a rear wheel drive and extremely light; they can and do slide at the back end quite unexpectedly particularly in bad weather. However, most serious situations can be avoided by driving sensibly. I haven’t had any major problems with either of mine, but the oxygen sensors needed replacing on both at about 25k miles. It’s important to get those sorted straight away to avoid damage to the catalytic converter which is a BIG expense. One other annoyance is that the rear side panels tend to fill up with water; it’s supposed to drain out underneath, but the drain holes do block up quite easily, which then means a fair bit of fiddling around to remove the grilles on the side to unblock the drainage holes. The most annoying thing about this car? well, un-necessary beeping/alarms/whatever you want to call them. It beeps if you leave the key in with the door open, it beeps if you use reverse gear, and it beeps if you put a shopping bag on the passenger seat and don’t fasten the seat belt. But would I get rid of it because of the beeps? certainly not :-) The best thing about this car? its fun :-) Hope that helped!

Responses to this review

Do not even think about driving it in icy. I wrote off mine going up hill on the M25 in January 2010. I only knew it was very hazardous about five minutes before hand and was shocked that there was no gritting or illuminated signs. So I slowed to about 30mph but soon felt the rear right let go sending me to the right barrier, I steered to the left at which point I started skating to the inside left barrier. I hit the barrier which then spun me back onto the middle lane. A braking Land Rover Discovery then hit me head on at about 25mph. I was totally unharmed and the front crumple zones did their job but the airbag did not deploy. Rear wheel drive, mid engine, low weight and going uphill meant that front grip disappeared. The steering wheel went slack in my hands. So be wary if you have frosty windows when you set off. However I bought an identical model six weeks later. Still a great car on balance - Roger Fitch from London

Toyota Avensis Estate Diesel 2004

Well-built car apart from headlights (atrocious) and parcel shelf (cheap and flimsy). Very clear instrument but onboard computer greatly over-estimates mpg, and clock in the middle of speedo cannot be seen by passengers, or easily by driver. Quiet and relaxing on long journeys and smooth geachange around town. Very roomy, rear seats fold easily, but safety bar behind rear seats is too heavy and awkward to remove. Big minus point is plastic headlights - our reflectors have melted after less than 40,000 miles, and car is a nightmare to drive after dark. Toyota say headlamp units are a "consumable item" and like oil and filters not covered by any Warranty. But at £500 a pair these are too costly to replace at regular intervals.

Toyota Rav4 2005

We have had a lot of trouble. First the turbo, now the clutch. Will never buy Toyota again.

Toyota Hiace 280GS 2005

Well, I bought one of these after reading reviews on this site! I must say that if anyone else gets one of these after not having driven a vehicle with solenoid actuated injectors is that they’re a lot noisier than you’ll be used to. I actually took mine to a diesel injection specialist after I could hear an odd tappety rattle which changed tone depending on accelerator position! Turned out to be just the way they sound. It’s been reliable, smaller than a transit, brilliant turning circle and built like a tank. I like the drivers seat and driving position (I’m 6’4) and find it comfortable. It is not the fastest van in the world and if you try to drive it fast you can expect 20mpg, however I drive like an old man and get 35 mpg combined so not too bad. Also, they don’t rust like transits. Vivaros are equally long lived in the bodywork department and faster but cost almost twice as much.

Responses to this review

Quick update: I thought I’d check the tyre pressures... they were all about 30 psi! Blew em up to the recommended max psi (65) and hey presto 45mpg on a run at 60 mph. I’m well chuffed and recommend taking 2 mins to check yours - Ben Lord from England

Toyota Hiace Power Van 2.4 Diesel 2000

Mine was 2 years old when I bought it, apart from a regular service and normal wear and tear, I only had the glow plugs change and 2 new batteries. The AA man said when the batteries went ’we don’t come out to many of these’!!! It was easy and comfortable to drive on long and short trips, plenty of room for all my junk!! and a couple of mates. It had done 121,000 miles but unfortuneately some idiot decided to do a u-turn in the road in front of me and the van was written off (I was very glad to be driving a tank cause although I was injured it could have been a lot worse in a less robust vehicle). Now trying to replace it and seems people never get rid of them!!!! Anyone selling in Bristol or surrounding area????

Responses to this review

Hi Carol. Just read your review as I am thinking of buying another Hiace. You’ve probably got one by now but it’s worth mentioning mine may be for sale, 2000 year 95k, owned from new by our family, full history, genuine and straight. Respond to this website if you want - Andrew from Cornwall

Toyota Yaris 1.3 MMT 2007

In 2009 we bought an AYG0 and the auto gear box was superb, unfortunately we found the small car too small for us. Last March we part exchanged it for a YARIS 1.3 MMT and noticed the auto change was not as good as the Aygo. I now find that there are occassions when the transmission can be worrying. ie low speed manoevering in Super market car parks where other cars and pedestrians are apt to suddenly appear. It is the moving off from stationary that can be a little un-predictable and gives call for alarm. I have noticed that Volkswagen have had a lot of problems with presumably the same type of transmission.

Toyota Previa CDX 2.4 petrol 2001

Had a Honda Shuttle and I’d been happy with it but it was a bit old fashioned so chose to move up to a second hand Previa. Y reg in a racing green metallic colour. We had a problem straight after buying it with the engine mgt light coming on which was due to the cat. Had it replaced by dealer but light came on again soon after. Toyota said this type of Cat needs need to be replaced with different type and if I spent out a lot they would fix it the grage were only up for a re-furb so I’ve lived with the light coming on periodically never had an emmisions problem at MOT. Other than that its just superb. It’s a 2.4 petrol and whilst it isn’t cheap on petrol getting 26 mpg with a fair bit of urban driving it’s not too expensive either. When the kids were tiny we loved how you could get up and walk through to the rear seats no twisting and turning to sort them out just get up and step through! Reliability has been exceptional with only one call out for a dead battery which needed replacing in 4 years of service where it has taken us to Euro Disney 4 times in relaxing style. Other than that its just been the usual tyres along the way and I’ve never bought anything too expensive for these just mid-range. Needed a topbox for all the kids stuff when we took the grand parents along to Disney as well. The car carried the 6 of us comfortably but that does limit the space for luggage if you going on more than an overnight stay! So get a top box for these occassions! Its lovely to drive make sure you service it, its had annual services from a local garage rather than a main dealer and it still going strong with 93K miles. Love it!

Toyota Hilux Invincible 2010

My recent purchase of Hilux Invincible is the best yet. This is my third Invincible, and coming after the 200 limited edition I did not think it could be bettered. But it is. I use my Invincible collecting Military equipment spares all over East and Western Europe, nearly always on the legal limit of weight, and I have never had a problem. Only my first one was manual, with the last two being Auto. The torque of the Invincible makes having an Auto possible for comfortable driving. Even carrying full weight. I use Shell VP Diesel. It’s a little more expensive than ordinary diesel, but I find the truck runs well on it, and I get an extra 2/3mpg Great Truck. The Best yet.

Toyota Yaris D4D 5door hatch 2008

I bought this car mainly for its economy, and small enough for my wife to use, to date this has not let us down, we travel all over europe and fuel economy is wonderful, brake pads changed at 55000 miles front tyres at 40000, we had all the recalls done but we would never have known if Toyota had not contacted us, only two minor gripes, not so stable with cross winds and the passenger front seat does not fold flat, to take long items.

Toyota Land Cruiser LC4 2006

This is my 4th landcruiser, the first of this type. So far I have done 116,000 miles, so I given it enough time to live with this car is, and some time with Toyota ownership, which for the first time, was not all sunshine: Firstly, the car engine blew up after 82,000 miles while in France. Toyota rebuilt the engine and all ancillary repairs for free. So although I was considerably miffed having had such a serious failure, Toyota turned an expensive disaster into a serious inconvenience. Note that this car was well out of warranty at this time. Wonder if Landrover/Porsche/VW/Audi would do the same? To drive, this version of landcruiser is out of date compared to more up to date rivals and any kind of prompt A-road driving will have passengers holding onto the grab bars. The other side of the coin is that it eats motorways with disdain and a level of comfort considerably above that of its predecessor. Put another way, slight modification in driving style will get other rewards in terms of landcruiser ownership. Off road or towing, low down grunt and reasonably tough build helps considerably, and while the horse power figure seems low when compared to others, it doesn’t seem to struggle to keep up or even beat other traffic. This landcruiser isn’t as tough as the others I’ve owned. But it is a lot more comfortable, better equipped, and supported by dealers who are above average in terms of both service and price. Do you have a big family? Run a small business? Live in the middle of nowhere? Need to get to the middle of nowhere? Any or all of the above? Then thoroughly recommended. And don’t take any notice of what the media says.

Toyota Hiace 2009

I purchased my 2009 Hiace last April after owning a 1996 Hiace for over 5 years finishing with over 200miles on the clock, (the engine was still good, no smoke or oil burn). I was so impressed with the reliability, never had 1 brake down during ownership. The new shape vans are awesome (in my opinion) good mpg 35 round town. the new shape is a huge improvement, delivering much better power and handling is good. Be aware in wet conditions , unladen it is easy to slide the rear end. I bought this van with intention of keeping it for at least 5 years, knowing that resale prices are good! I paid 10K and i reckon i can get 4-5k in 5 years! not bad for trouble free motoring! Defo recommend to anyone!

Toyota Aygo blue 2009

On paper it was what I wanted. I have however had to report to my supplier (Westland-Bromsgrove) that ticking over in neutral, a bad engine noise (like a diesel!) at about 300/minute; a third of tickover? One of the three cylinders? Have done 2600 miles! They have noted it. If this turns out to be serious.......

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 1.8 T3S 2005

I have owned this car for 3+ years having bought it at 12 months old and had no problems over 40K +/- miles (routine servicing, new tyres and brakes). The engine is perhaps a little lacklustre but the pay back is averaging around 40mpg on a mixture of city commuting and longer journeys. I have done several long journeys (8+ hours behind the wheel with only short comfort/refuel breaks) and been very comfortable both during the journey and when I got to my destination. Low running costs, a big boot and hatchback make this a very practical and pragmatic choice.

Toyota Avensis Hatchback T3-S 2006

I have just bought this car with 29500 miles on the clock and am bitterly disappointed-Having had a Camry for 5 years and two Corollas before that I had certain basic expectations. Firstly the road noise came as a shock: I could even hear the odd stone. The radio, music system sounded tinny and the overall specs were very low. The ride feels the same as my basic Toyota I drove many years ago solid but not comfortable. Is this just me, the car or has Toyota regressed?

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR MMT 2010

6 weeks old and 400 miles on clock since bought new and it’s got to go. I cannot stand the gearbox any longer. The worst car I have ever had the pleasure of owning. When I queried the weird gearchanges and over revving I was told by the dealer that I needed to change my driving style to suit the car? I have been driving over 45 years and have driven everything from HGVs to fast patrol cars for the police and owned all types of cars from humble mini’s to a Rolls, but have to change my driving to suit their car?? Well I have decided not to change my driving style but to change the car instead. If you are thinking of buying a Yaris MMT make sure you take it for an extended test drive in plenty of traffic. The salespersons know of the faults, so will take you on nice quite roads away from heavy traffic so as not to show up the faults on the gearbox.

Responses to this review

I bought a Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR, fitted with stop/start, in May of this year (2010). I think where a lot of the drivers have a problem with the gearbox is that to engage 1st and 2nd and 5th and 6th it is necessary to press against the spring that prevents incorrect selection. i.e. the 3rd and 4th gears fall into the natural selection, the others don’t. If one takes the time to learn the gear selection as I have done, the system works perfectly. I love my Toyota and although it is early days yet, to date I have been more than pleased with the vehicle - Allan Murray from Fife and Kinross Shires

Toyota Aygo 2006

My personal opinion best small city car for that price, engine has enough grunt, which I wasn’t expecting from a 998 cc engine. Never had any leaks or other troubles with a car, have done 20,000 miles.

Toyota Hilux 2010

I’ve got the Invincible on a 60 plate, in black, I specced rear deck, and urban pack, I didnt take leather as we get very severe frosts here, currently -13 as I write. I am overwhelmed with the quality of the truck, I have bf goodrich all terrain tyres fitted and this thing has been eating its way through any depth of snow, upto half a metre deep recently. It is not as fast as the Navara but it has a better 4wd system, it’s bigger beefier, looks a world better and can pull 3 ton with consumate ease; it’s a high torque engine. I waited 16wks for mine, it was worth the wait, cannot recommend this pick up enough.

Toyota Dyna 2002

Steer clear of older ones, very serious issues with electrics, dealer has never had one before. Whatever !!

Responses to this review

Hi Paul, I am an insurance engineer dealing with a case where the insurer has rejected the policyholders claim for an electrical short-circuit. Trying to say the fault originated in the handbrake, perhaps not surprisingly Toyota are not helping. I would be interested in some info on the electrical problems you experienced. All the best - Jim Symons from Oxfordshire

Toyota Avensis Saloon 1.8 vvti auto 2001

Rubbish car. Bought it with 10k on the clock back in 2004 and after 30,000 odd miles (1 year) new steering rack required: almost £1100!! what a joke. anyway sold the car (as part of my business) 1 year later and the poor person who bought it had to replace the engine 3 months later! £3500. The car was always serviced, mostly before the mileage was due. Must of been a bad year for Toyota as I’ve heard other owners with same probs. Now have a Mazda, the best car for high mileage drivers.

Toyota Yaris 1400 Diesel 2001

From the second I started driving this car it began to exceed any expectations I ever had for it. I have now covered 65,000 with nothing more than 3 headlamp bulbs and 2 front sidelight bulb failures, what a car. The Yaris is very easy to drive and comfortable from start to finish on runs I have done lasting about 6 hours. At worse I have achieved 66mpg. and as much as about 92 mpg. No I don’t dawdle about before anybody asks but over the years as a professional driver I have mastered economy driving techniques, which are more about observation, correct use of accelerator and gears than slow speeds as some people think. As with any common rail diesel engines that I know about the engine does take quite a time to warm up so it is a bit chilly inside during the winter months if you have to do short runs. The engine has great torque and always keeps going even up very steep hills without the need to change into lower gears. On motorways driving is effortless and cruising at 70mph is done at about 2,300rpm. The turbo give a very welcome burst of speed for overtaking and lane changing but watch the speedo because there is little sensation of speed and you can be well over the speed limit without realising.Tyre noise from the originally fitted Goodyears could be a bit much depending on the type of road surface but I changed to Toyo tyres and this was eliminated. Several times I have had 5 adults in the car and did honestly expect performance to drop right off but it didn’t. Overall a very reliable and well built car but give it a miss if you are only doing short journeys. I have even still got the original brake pads and shoes fitted with plenty of life left in them.

Responses to this review

I could only praise the reliability of this little Diesel car. I have driven in excess of 400 miles a week for the past 5 years. Yes it’s over 100,000 miles on the clock and it has never gave me trouble. Only item replaced was the alternator. The alternator was replaced under warranty. Brakes have never been changed. I have now replaced the car with another Yaris diesel and hope its is as reliable as its predecessor - Mars from England

The new Yaris Diesel engine is good and economical as the previous model. The only gripe is the gear engagement. I noticed that I had difficulty shifting into 4th gear on a number of occasions. My partner had difficulty in shifting into 2nd and 3rd. She had driven for about 20 miles when she discovered this. For the 4th gear issue, I have driven over 500 miles, but never had problem with 2nd or 3rd gear. I also noticed the famous clucking noise when the clutch is depressed to change gear. This seems to be a design feature. See other people experienced the same problem I am still under the 30 days to return to the garage if not happy. But I am going to keep the car as I don’t think there is anything to worry about - Mars from England

We have two Toyota Yaris 1.4 diesels in our family, a 2009 manual and a 2010 mmt. The manual has given me (2 people in the car) 72.5mpg on a 50 mile run with 20 mile being on A class roads the rest motorway with average speed on the motorway between 60-70. Running around in general in the high 50’s. The mmt is gives about mid 50’s, a little bit worse than the manual although you could match the manual if you use the manual override option and change gears yourself. This small diesel pulls like a train so you will not be changing down on hills or on motorways and the diesel is the one to go for if you want an mmt as it will not have the change up change down syndrome of the petrol as the torque of the diesel just keeps going and doesn’t loose the power so it doesn’t have to change down. The diesel has a great reputation for reliability into very high mileage, and for those who like a bit of go it does 0-100kmh or the old 0-60 in 10.6 seconds and some golf GTI do it in 10.5 seconds - what more can I say. Finally, the gear change on the 6 speed we have is very good but has gone smoother with mileage, it was a little notchy at first just because it was new I suppose. Go diesel you will not be disappointed - Steve Den from England

Toyota Yaris 1000cc T2 2008

I have owned a two year old yaris with average milegae for a little over a month. I have just left it in North Wales as the clutch gave out so was unable to travel home. I left it with the dealer and checked the web to see if any other owners experience problems. To my surprise - they do!. To be fair, the criticisms of the trim of the yaris are a bit harsh. For a small car, its roomy, cheap to run (normally) and drives as you would expect. I wouldn’t pay £9,000 for a new one, but £5,000 for a two year old seems OK. My only concern is the clutch which after two years motoring should not have failed. It wasn’t slipping or burning, it just decided to go very spongy and stopped allowing me to change gear. More inconvenient than anything. I Trust that Toyota will live up to the warranty. The dealership I ended up with seemed not surprised that the problem was down to ’component failure’. We will see. A clutch every two years is not an option!

Toyota Picnic GS 2.0 Petrol Manual 1998

What a fantastic and economical MPV! I bought one despite never ever hearing of this model before, as it had 6 seats (although I really needed 7) and it’s made a great family runner around. When i got it the original exhaust was blowing, so I replaced it from the catalytic converter back, mid section and rear for £42 plus £12 postage from Germany, and saved a packet compared to UK exhaust prices of over £120. It had been struggling to tick over, idling at just 500 revs, but once I fitted the new exhaust it happily idles at 1000 revs. Gave an oil change, new air filter, oil filter, spark plugs, and (fuel filter if I ever find out where the fuel filter is hiding in order to fit the new one!) and it runs a treat. Currently at 149k miles and for a petrol it’s not showing any fatigue at that mileage. I love it. I just hope that I can find a 7 seater GLS model in the scrapyard so I can swap my middle two seats for the larger ’bench’ style seats to suit 3 people, that way I have the extra seat I needed from the start! Although only 6 seats and not 7, I found that 3 children could sit comfortably on the back seat and installed a lap-belt so we manage. A great motor, but sadly not as well known as it should be.

Responses to this review

Fuel Filter you Say? Well it’s behind the Air filter casing up against the back of the engine bay... but a true nightmare to change... had to take lots of bits off to find and replace myself! But I agree, the best car I’ve ever owned! Not pretty but a great workhorse and 100% reliable... got my values worth out of it - hope that helps - D B from England

Hi there, were you ever able to convert your six seater Toyota Picnic to a seven seater? Can the two middle seats be changed to a three seating row? - Nicola McGinn from Ireland

Toyota iQ 2010

The inside light is so dim, I bought a black IQ, I had to buy a torch, another thing I thought was, that Every IQ should come with PARKING AID included in the price of the car, since the IQ is so flat front and back, otherwise so far so good. I like my IQ. Any chance to improve on my lighting and parking aid??

Responses to this review

Hi Wendy. Did you like the radio control on the steering wheel? Was it lit? I am interested in knowing that. Email me - rave04[at]yahoo[dot]com - Stacy Raven from England

Toyota Aygo 2005

Do not buy an AYGO, there is a fault with the clutches!! They are too small for the car. I had to get a new one at 25,000 miles, cost me nearly 450 pounds. I’ve had all sorts of problems with it and now the timing chain has gone, it will cost hundreds to fix. Going to the garage tommorow to get a new car. I’ll get nothing back for the AYGO may as well take it to the recycle bank!!!

Responses to this review

Hi, Sorry to hear of your problems but you should not have been charged for the replacement clutch or any associated issues. I have a Citreon C1 December 2007 and had mine changed Dec 2008 as they knew there was a problem. Clutches are too small for the car. I would write to Toyota warranty department direct and enclose a copy of the bill and ask for the money back. See notes of C 1 faults below and item at the end regarding Technical Bulletin re clutches. Same goes for water pump issues. I have also had this changed under warranty. Citreon C 1 faults Water leaks into load area via extractor vent. Have also been water leaks into load area and rear via misfitted rear door and hatch seals or rear light seals. More leaks reported through radiop aerial seal and passenger door seal. ’Whirring whine’ from 1.4HDI may be failing timing belt tensioner, which is a roller bearing device like the idler pulley, but with a reddish rubber/nylon damper. Gates cambelt kits include this part. Wise also to replace waterpump which it driven by the timing belt. Water pump failures common at about 3 years old. One report of a transmission oil leak on an Aygo (same car). Exhaust back boxes may only last 2 years before rusting through. Reports of leaking waterpumps on 1.0 petrol engines. Clutches seem to let in water, leading to surface corrosion and premature wear. Can last as little as two and a half years. TSB to replace 180mm clutches with 190mm clutches. See recalls. Rear wheel brake cylinders prone to failure. One case after 4 years and 4,000 miles. Another just 2 months from new. On 5 door models the glue holding the rear door windows to the hinge eventually fails and the windows fall out. Well used key operated drivers door and boot doorlocks may only last just over 3 years. Cat converters may also fail after 2 - 3 years. Reports of power steering failures at 3 - 4 years old, costing £650 for a new motor, though may have been caused by drivers burning out the motor by holding it on lock. Recalls 29-1-2010 Sticking Accelerator Pedal recall announced on AYGO (Feb 2005 - Aug 2009). Customers who experience the problem should phone 0800 1388 744. Must also apply to Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107. Official recall announced by PSA 1-2-1010. "PSA Peugeot Citroën has decided, in line with its stringent quality policy, to launch a similar programme for a selected range of Peugeot 107s and Citroën C1s which are produced in cooperation with Toyota in a shared plant. This precautionary recall concerns less than 10% of Peugeot 107s and Citroën C1s in circulation in Europe, ie 97 000 vehicles." Unknown date TSB: "the vehicle manufacturer has issued a technical bulletin regarding clutch noise issues and premature clutch wear on the Toyota Aygo-1.0, Peugeot 107-1.0 and Citroen C1-1.0. In cases where a customer complains of slipping clutch, noise from clutch during stop and go conditions orabnormal smell from clutch a service directive has been issued to replace the original clutch with a larger diameter clutch assembly. The original 180mm clutch will now be replaced with a larger 190mm clutch with increased clutch cover mass to rectify premature wear and noise issues." Hope this helps. I have no water issues as only a 2 door but have just had to change brake pads and discs due to premature wear. Letter in to Citreon warranty department so awaiting a reply. Only problem I have is a high pitched whining noise at slow speeds I have had since the car was 10 months old which is still not resolved. Good luck - Jacqui Kearns from England

Toyota Hiace 6 seats 2000

Owned for 10 years, bought pair of new batteries, 1 set of tyres, 1 bulb, 1 set of wipers. Definitely has the X factor.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Okay listen up fellow Aygo owners! I too have had all the problems... brake light bulbs not lasting, brake pads needing replacing, faulty clutch - can’t get in to gear, leaking door seals, have needed 4 new tyres, glovebox that wont close - all of this within the first 2 years and it’s awful, it’s been the biggest pain in the backside! The first thing was the glovebox - kept opening every time I went over a bump in the road! but they repaired straight away under the warranty. Then the brake light bulbs went which I paid for as it didn’t come to much, Then I had to buy 2 tyres - but not from Toyota - they are soooo expensive to buy from them. Then new brake pads - when they told me that was the norm I believed them so I paid out for that too. My own stupid fault as now looking back the brakes on my other cars lasted a lot longer. Then another 2 new tyres - and yes I regularly check my tyre pressure etc. Then when I took it through a car wash I got sprayed with water! The seals were replaced under warranty - but I can’t get over that some of you have inches of water in the car - at least mine wasn’t that bad and there was no argument from the dealership to replace foc. NOW PAY ATTENTION to this next part. the gear box has never been great - not the smoothest when changing, however last week I was driving along when I couldn’t get in to gear - at the time very scary - Toyota wouldn’t pick the car up - had to get my breakdown people to tow it - when they looked at it they said they were going to strip the clutch and get an inspector to assess whether it was a manufacturing fault or "wear and tear" - that’s when I hit the roof and found this website - there was no way on this earth I was going to pay £400 for them to replace a 2 year old clutch - NO WAY!!!!! I do not ride the clutch - I have never had this problem before with other cars a lot older. I’m shocked and feel sorry that some of you have paid out for this. PLEASE! DO NOT PAY FOR A NEW CLUTCH!!!! Send an email/letter to Toyota head office and the Toyota dealers you bought it from explaining you wont pay - it must be replaced - that it simply is not good enough that it’s not lasted at least 80,000 miles! Then copy and paste in to your email all the comments from this web page!!! Outlining that it is a COMMON fault with Toyota! - That’s what I did yesterday and GUESS WHAT. I am now getting new clutch tomorrow all covered for under the warranty. All in all I love my little car - it’s perfect for me and my dealers - have done the decent thing with the glovebox, clutch and door seals. But I will be getting rid of it next year. I don’t know what car to get next time - and I may still stick to Toyota but it wont be an aygo. Great little car but getting very fed up with speaking to a garage every few months with another problem.

Responses to this review

Bought an Aygo for my son’s first car, as cheap insurance, rad tax etc. Seemed fine until it rained, we then had puddles in the footwells, white mould growing on carpets. We took it back to the dealer (Toyota) as it was under warranty, who assured me that they had changed all the seals, just over a year later, once again we have puddles, mould, rusted rear speakers, we took it back to the dealer who said the seals were out of warranty as had been renewed just over a year ago, and the cost to get the car right would be £2,400 but they had contacted Toyota who would fund some of the money to correct their bad design faults, leaving me with a bill of £470, for a problem that was never rectified correctly in the first place... Nicki from Sussex

Toyota Yaris 2001

I’m amazed to read some bad reviews. I have a 51 plate and love it. It sips petrol, has been perfectly reliable and the sliding back seat makes it very versitile. I lift share and regularly have 3 in it, sometimes more. The front seat is fiddly to fold but otherwise I think it is well designed and, though I’m tall, I find it roomy.

Toyota Yaris TR Automatic 2010

Had it for 2 months now, love the car, does about 45 m/gallon. Nippy car, lots of storage room, easy to drive. what’s missing? A center arm rest should be a must. Many older people come down from a bigger car, so they miss a few gadgets from the luxury car like rain sensor, brake assist, cruise control and of course the center arm rest.

Toyota Auris mmt 2008

Whatever you DO NOT buy a car with the MMT gear box; they are dangerous! Ours would stick in 2nd gear when coming on/off motorway roundabouts (in ’E’ mode) and would constantly change gear at low speeds. The experience is unpleasant because even after a month it would change gear (thereby lurching you and other passengers forward) when you were least expecting it. Was told by Toyota that it was the way I was driving. I wish I’d looked on sites like this BEFORE we parted with our hard-earned money. We managed to change the car with the dealer for a larger model with CVR transmission but it will have cost us a lot of money; don’t really want to investigate how much! BE WARNED!

Responses to this review

Hi I have just read your review on your Auris. Did you resolve this issue with the dealer etc please? I bought a 2007 Auris 1.6 10 days ago and have experienced everything that you have said too! I am really unnerved by the car and am now afraid to drive it anywhere where I have to pull out on to busy roads or join traffic on dual carriageways etc. There is no rhyme or reason for the way it handles but they tell me at the dealership that it’s my driving and that I will get used to it in time! I enjoyed driving before this car arrived in my life! :-( - H from Sussex

Toyota Corolla Saloon 2lit diesel 1990

Hi! I’ve had this 1990 Toyota Corolla 2lit diesel saloon since mid 1997, and there are just over 400,000km (about 250,000 miles) on the clock. I have done almost all my own servicing and repairs as it is a very simple car from the technical point of view. Over the years, the clock stopped working (I now have to look at my watch to check the time!), and I had to replace the starter and alternator with reconditioned units. The radio supplied was c**p so I replaced it with one I bought in Lidl. The heater blower failed at 350,000 km and I replaced it with one from a scrapyard. The car’s engine has never been opened up, apart from replacing the timing belt at 160,000km and 320,000km. It has the original clutch and gearbox. I am really impressed by the incredible reliability of this car, which has never once let me down, or left me stranded at the side of the road. The original 20-year old spare tyre is still in the boot. I recommend the Corolla for anyone looking for a supremely reliable car (especially if you don’t mind carrying out minor repairs yourself as they come due, rather than allowing minor matters such as a slow puncture become a blowout on the motorway.)

Toyota Yaris 2007

Very surprised at poor design. Wobbly ride. Pedals too high causing aching legs and ankles. Now after put in for MoT find petrol tank is rusted out and leaking requiring a new tank (HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM?) This is despite my regularly hosing under the car in the winter becouse of salt on the roads. Poor enconomy.

Toyota s lwb van 1998

Bought mine (circa 1998) for £1400 in 2009, it had been beaten 10 years by the local severely pot holed Irish roads (140’000 miles) and the standard 100 per cent overload Irish rules plus overloaded trailer/suicide speeds etc. I’m a mechanic so went through it with £500 budget-MOT’d. Daft me, I ovelooked the past run dry engine (homemade silicone waterpump gasket), engine seized on me in French countryside (motor parts & repairs are vey, very, very expensive in France)! Irish mate got me a good s/h engine for £200 (thanks Sean), recovery etc -whole escapade (ferry etc) cost me £1000 more. Since then its run as reliable as I could wish, a lovely van to drive, great gears (a little low geared when empty) and stick position, power steerings so nice to use, brakes are superb. My only grumble is fuel consumption, but sneeze and it starts, engine sounds so sweet. Had lotsa trannies, Merc’s, they’re agricultural in comparison. Recommend Hiace!

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2007

Very good apart from road noise. Previous model, which we still have, silent on same road. Twitchy also apparently due to electric assist rather than hydraulic. Previous car on normal wheels and Kleber tyres.... this one at 6000 miles on alloys and goodyears. It is so noisy on certain roads I may get rid of it and drive the old one (02) until it falls apart. I really like Toyotas but hated the Prius and found Hondas were for smaller folk...The old car when new felt like it had a rope attached to an invisible tow car and that’s what I want!

Toyota iQ Aspiration 2009

Got my iQ (with full options) for about a month now. Before I drove a Chrysler Grand Voyager 3.3ltr V6, so the new iQ is somewhat of a change... I really had to make a mind-switch from big to small, but there are simply so many advantages of a smaller car. MPG, parking, road-tax etc. Before buying the Toyota I test drove various other cars: 107, C1, Fiat 500, Panda. I must say, the Toyota is in no way comparable to the C1 and 107, which I find too small/cramped and ’immature’ for an every day car, including driving on the highway in morning traffic. The Toyota is solid and its width gives is good handling. For fun I drove it to Germany and back without trouble or a sore back (roughly 500km roundtrip with only 1 stop for fuel). Seriously, the trip was no more intense than with the massive Grand Voyager. For your information, I’m a big fellow of 187cm and 110kgs (6ft2 and 240 pounds) and had no trouble at all in the excellent seats. There are a few minor issues I must point out though: 1. buy the CVT. It is quiet and drives so much better than the manual. Put simply, I would never buy the iQ manual. 2. I got the full options for a great price at the dealer. Haggle for the price, I am sure you can manage something with them. Leather seats, good audio etc are really worth it, especially for people that drive more than a few miles a day. See the car as a mini-Lexus more than a cheap and simple city-car which is simply isn’t as far as I am concerned. Is short, great car for city and highway use. Cheap to run, not cheap to buy. Get the CVT and some extras and I’m sure you’ll be happy! Sure, there is not too much storage, but realistically. how often do you use 500 litres of baggage space?

Toyota Aygo Blue with blue tooth and air con 2009

Good points, the Aygo is fairly comfortable inside, it is nippy (at least with no more than 2 people in it), the sound system is excellent. Bad points - the boot is a joke and the parcel shelf is useless. The gearbox is abysmal - like gear boxes used to be on really ancient cars many years ago. Often it is impossible to get into reverse gear without quite a few attempts and changing down from 5th to 4th can be a nightmare - have to double declutch and then sometimes have more than one go! The dealership just steadfastly maintain this is how the gear boxes are and nothing can be done about it. Had to have a new glove box door as it wouldn’t close flush. My car has also suffered from the icing up inside problem - so bad that it took as much removal with an ice scraper on the inside as the outside. Door seals, and speaker seals have been replaced and I thought the problem had been solved. However, first icy day of the year today and the problem is back - not as bad as it was, but still not solved. On complaining to the Dealership on several occasions about this problem and getting nowhere it was necessary to get quite firm with them to get anything done. They maintained they had never heard of the problem, so I printed off complaints from this website and others and they also claimed it was due to me getting in the car with wet shoes! On the whole I wouldn’t buy a Toyota again and would not recommend anyone to buy the Aygo. I bought the Aygo thinking to keep it for many years as Toyota have a good reputation, but am thinking seriously of trading it in for a Ford after the 3 years is up, at least their gear boxes are excellent and they don’t ice up inside.

Responses to this review

Just driven an Aygo on hire from Enterprise: 10 plate done 9000 miles. The one thing that struck me was how slick the gearbox was - far better than an Insignia I had a few weeks earlier. So I would definitely say that a poor gear change is not par for the course! Gary from Yorkshire

Toyota Hiace d4d 2002

Great van, power d4d, little more econ than pre 2002. No major faults like other manufatures. Toyota engineering design and assembley 100%. Bit basic cabin and you would know you’re driving a van compared to some of the Trafics, Vivaros, I’ve driven, but Toyota spend their budget on reliablity rather than looks !!!!

Toyota Aygo Blue 2009

Here’s my thoughts on my little 3dr 59 plate Aygo Blue, bought in Feb 2010. Pros -Excellent on fuel, and now using Tescos super unleaded I’m getting 425+ miles a tank, with total milage at 8000 currently -Funky looking, very modern appearance. Had the fog lights and alloys option, with the aliminum strips in the door wells. -Plenty of room, people are always commenting on how easy it is to get into the back of the car, and how much room and head space you’ve got when you’re in there. -Nippy! I was worried about the 14sec 0-62mph figure but when you’re actually in the car it feels much quicker and is very good at showing people up at the traffic lights, beaut. -Lots of little places to store things under the dash and around the steering wheel. -Longest distance central locking I’ve ever come across! -50/50 splitting rear seats opens up the boot and gives you plenty of room -Easy to park, lovely steering -Nicely layed out dash board -Bluetooth option is a very nice touch, and pollen filter works well. Cons -Interior light doesn’t come on when the passenger opens their door -No light in the boot -Can’t controll passengers window, only your own -Fuel gage reads in 6 little blocks, which is a personal thing more than anything, it’s annoying when you fill up half a tank and get 5 blocks, then 2 mins round the corner you lose one. It’s a bit annoying, I’d rather have a dial instead of digital. -I haven’t had any problems with vast amounts of water in the footwells, but I have noticed the car windows get very foggy/moist and have droplets of water dripping down after a cold night. I realise most cars get this, but if I don’t keep my aircon on to dry the air it happens at any time. And is hard to get rid of. Overall, I love my car. It’s funky, nippy and great on the petrol. I adore the colour and the gadgets, only a few things I’d change but they don’t kill me or make me want to drive my car any less. Lovely little cheap car!

Responses to this review

My nightmare of ice on the inside and outside is over and The Ombudsman ruled that the car Not Fit For Purpose and TOYOTA BOUGHT MY CAR BACK FROM ME (at a financial loss to me?). Speak to Consumer Direct or your Household Insurance Legal Helpline if you have this to help reject your car.If you had any finance on the car The Ombusman can get involved under the F.Service Act. Hope this helps - Linda from Worcestershire

Toyota Hiace 2.0 1RZ 1996

Toyota Hiace 2.0 1RZ I dont know how many owners my Hiace had before me because I imported it from japan. Down here in Zimbabwe and most other African countries we use it as public transport, carrying a minimum of 15 up to 22 adults with either luggage in tow or on the roof. It’s anybody’s guess how much tonage the vehicle carries everyday. It starts the day as early as 4am up until around 2200hours 24/7. The Toyota Hiace is amazing, with good regular service the Hiace can go forever. To me its more than a vehicle it’s part of my family. I have done over 300k miles without any major problem using it as above. I wish I could have more of these, but hey cash in a dead economy (Zimbabwe) is not easy to come by.

Responses to this review

You cannot beat the Toyota brother. You made the right choice son. Nice choice - Ezra Jibunoh from London

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2.0 D-4D T3 2007

I have driven this car since January 2007, the car has been 100%... No problems at all and I have 38,000 Miles on it. Its quite nice to drive and the engine is very powerfull and smooth. Overall, great car with nice looks and super reliable!

Toyota Aygo Black 2006

I bought my little Aygo in 2006, I only do about 3000 miles a year so the car is suitable to my needs. Cheap car tax etc. Last year I noticed the windows steaming up, then to my horror after a heavy rain fall found the passenger front foot well with 4" of water. I took it back to my dealer in Darlington and they were fantastic. Supposedly replaced the door seal and fitted new carperts due to a damp smell. Then yesterday it was pouring down and went into the rear seat to get my brolly and couldnt believe the rear footwell was now full of water. I believe this problem only happens when I park my car on the roadside with the car tilting to the right (due to the camber on the road). I have contact Toyato again today and they have agreed to have to car in again to be looked at with no questions asked. The car is out of waranty now so hopefully they won’t try to charge me for the repair. Having talked to the very nice lady in servicing she told me that this is a common fault with the Aygo, Peugoet 106 & Citreon C1. They are all made by the same people and Toyato just add their own bits to the frame. I am trashed and feel let down. I thought I was buying a Toyota as they were reliable. Now I am just worried about the forthcoming years of many leaks to come after reading other reports. Apart from this I find it a smashing little car. Althought I do keep cutting my hand on the parcel shelf when putting bags in the car.

Toyota Yaris semi auto 2007

Worst car ever! The car not only would not get in to 1st of reverse but started to drop out of gear while driving sending car to stop ; then had to switch off and restart very dangerious, this was after one change of actuators. Toyota Garage could not tell me the reason but were willing to charge me £125 per hr to investiage it!! SORRY BUT NEVER TOYOTA AGAIN

Responses to this review

My car is doing the same thing. When I was drive to work in traffic it jumps out of gear and I do not know why either... Deb Cooper from England

It’s the safety system on the clutch to prevent it from over heating. The cause of the overheating can be down to the way you drive this car as it has a sensor on the brake and handbrake to disengage the clutch on standstill... whatever you do if your driving style is that you don’t use your hand brake at a junctions don’t release the foot brake pressure otherwise the clutch senses you are ready to take off and has the same affect as riding the clutch on a manual car (a real bad habit). The result is overheating and the sensor will disengage the clutch/gear to protect the system. If you are prepared to adjust your driving style a little then you shouldn’t have any problems... I haven’t... so far anyway - Steve Den from England

Toyota Aygo blue 2009

Bought Aygo Blue November 2009, it’s been back to dealer three times for leaks, still leaking, and bad condensation. Dealer says they have replaced seals but it’s still leaking. Why should Toyota be able to take folks hard earned cash and get away with selling defective vehicles? Reading this blog I’m amazed at how many of them are faulty, after their recent bad publicity you would think they would be bending over backwards to remedy this fault. I feel so depressed after reading all the blogs that so few people have got any satisfaction or compensation from Toyota.. Diabolical that they shoud be getting away with this.

Responses to this review

Did you have any finance when you bought the car? If so The Ombudsman can get invloved, he helped in getting Toyota to buy my car back due to the car not been fit for purpose. I suffer excessive condensation inside car which turned to Ice on inside front screen when weather conditond dropped below zero. If not try Consumer Direct for advice on your legal position and procedures. Hope this helps - Linda from Worcestershire

Hi. Unfortunately I had also a problem with water infiltration. The problem was on the rear side of my car (Aygo 3 doors 2008), the 3rd central-up brake lamp exactly. The inside insolation of that lamp was damaged from temperature variation and the water had no problem to get inside. The problem was resolved with mastic auto. Two other posible ways for leaks are the two rubber nuts who sustain the rear glass window. If I recall corectly, the warranty laws says that if a product shows the same defect for three times in the first year from production, the seller must change that product with similar one or return the value of that product. So, who is in this situation, go straight on the dealer and fight for your (our) rights. All the best - Traian from Romania

Toyota Aygo blue 2007

Well after having many cars, this one is better than a Mercedes. As far as problems go, we have not had a single problem and when I owned three brand new Mercedes they were always in the garage. you will find what ever car you buy there will always be things that go wrong.

Toyota Corolla Verso d4d 2006

I have had my Corolla for 4 years and 55,000 miles when the bearings in the gear box went. Toyota wanted £1400 to repair it but did offer to do it for £700 as a gesture. Surely gear boxes should last much longer??? My old Ford Orion lasted for 180,000 miles same engine/gear box and clutch!!

Toyota Aygo 2006

Hello fellow aygo’ers! I’m a newly passed driver as I passed in June and my first car is my Aygo black which I do love to death despite it faults! Last sunday I was on the motorway and heard a horrible clanging noise so I pulled off the nearest slip road and got out of the car to my dismay my exhaust was hanging off and was resting on the floor! Thanks to the AA he pulled it off and I drove home without an exhaust sounding like a boy racer! Five days after I was on a motorway again driving to work at rush hour, came off at my exit and stopped behind the vehicle in front getting ready to move up the queuing traffic, to my dismay (again!) I couldn’t get my car into any gear and a horrible burning smell was present! I had to get towed back to Manchester from Burnley! My car has only just done 34000! All this happened within 5 days! I’m a 20yr old female who was scared out of her wits and chose this car as I was told it was best for new drivers! Am I beginning to regret my decision!?

Responses to this review

In response to my own post, I got the car back this evening with a brand new clutch and they said something had severed and it looks like manufacturers fault!! I can’t say this was definiate cause obviously! But after only having the car 2 month I think its a tad bang out of order! In all fairness the car drives like a dream now but I feel like I’m just waiting for the next thing to wrong! And if it does the dealer will be swiftly receiving the keys back! - Natalie-Claire Collier from Lancashire

Hi, what happened? Did you find a solution to the problem? John Smith from Dorset

Toyota Hilux invincible 2010

What a truck!!! Had four l200’s before, and they come nowhere near the Hilux. The ride is great and the sheer size of the thing is impresive. So quiet and the stereo system is great, spec it up with the sat nav and urban pack and it looks amazing. The Hilux is certainly the truck to have!!

Toyota Aygo 1.0i Blue Hatch 5dr 2008

I bought my Aygo 2 years ago. There has always been a problem with condensation but when I found mildew growing on cushions I kept in the boot alarm bells rang. When I had the problem looked into I was told that water had been leaking into the car through tthe speaker covers. The water was sucked out and I was told that the damp smell would go but two months later it is just as bad. The warranty runs out at the end of October and I don’t know what to do. Having today gone online for the first time and read all the reports about leaks my heart sinks.

Toyota Aygo 2010

I have not bought an Aygo, I went for the Yaris. As I have had 4 Yaris’s in the past and once you have driven a Yaris there is no going back. Well, I test drove the Aygo and I can’t really say anything good about it. The engine was noisy, the suspension is awful; you fell claustrophobic driving. The interior felt cheap and tin surrounding. So sorry, that is my opinion and I would not recommend this car. It may have a Toyota engine but this vehicle is actually made in Czechoslovakia and brought to this country as a cheap car for those who can’t afford much more. But as I said to the Toyota dealership - surely selling this car is embarrassing for Toyota?

Toyota Hiace 2003

Had this van a year now bought on the strength of this site and friends experiences with other vans, covered 10,000miles, 122,000 total, well on clock anyway! Great van to drive no problems yet, not perfect, 1st and 5th gear too low, and suspension too hard for normal unloaded use, skitters on bumpy roads unloaded, seems to return about 40 mpg average which is good for a 2.5 turbo, not a fast driver though. Great bottom end and midrange power, no top end so no point in revving it. Friends problems oh dear: Peugeot - blown g/box and another one engine, VW 05 - gearbox! Transit - gearbox. Vito - fast but rustbox; and we only carry motorcycles around!

Responses to this review

Ian’s spot on, my 2002 2.5L is extremely reliable. Why I bought this van... 3 yrs ago I asked the boss of CB Motors in Golders green which is a garage and recovery firm in one "which is the most reliable medium size van" and his lightning quick response was "Toyota". I haven’t had a single problem since I bought it in 2007, having already covered 105,000 miles and I’ve done 22,000 miles. It starts first time, everytime, hot or cold but my only drawback is that it is so slow to warm up and defrost the screen. People say it is because it’s a diesel. I do agree that first gear is too low but it’s good for crawling in traffic jams etc, and fifth gear could be a bit higher. Top speed on 88bhp is about 95mph on red line and it will cruise at 80mph but the mpg will drop to 30/town figures.Full tank will give you 350-400 miles at best - Keith Marsland from Hertfordshire

Just changed my ’96 powervan for a ’52 plate. They are the best kept secret. Would not have any other van. Anyway, my point is have you tried a new thermostat? Put a new one in last November after two winters with a poor heater and wow, up to temp very quick - faster than my BMW - Nathan Bray from England

Toyota Urban Cruiser 2W Petrol 2010

An excellent little car all round. Regardless of what the so called motor review people say I have had no problems with ts performance on joining motorways or other roads. Out performs my last vehicle (Crysler PT Cruiser) and far more comfortable and cheaper to own and run. I would recomend this vehicle even if it does cost £1500 for the 2W Petrol version. It has everything you will ever need for your safety and comfort.

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2.0 D4D 120 Colour Collection 2006

I bought this car from my local Toyota dealership in July 2006, recently got the car MOT’d and it sailed through no problems at all, nothing needed replaced or fixed, just a good service and its as good as new. I do a lot of motorway mileage and I have covered over 88,000 Miles and the car has never gave me any trouble. The reason I bought the Corolla was because of its legendary reliabilty record and this model certainly lives up to the excellent record! I was thinking about a new Auris but since there is no 2.0 D4D in them anymore I’m going to keep my car. The engine is fantastic! It shifts on briliantly and always had lots of grunt for over taking. The interior is pretty basic but for a Focus with the same spec it was costing me over £16k and it only had a 1.6 TDCi. I got my 2.0 D4D Corolla for £13,670, all the electrics have been fine, no problems at all! The seats are well supportive and hav plently of adjustment but are quite firm, in the rear there is plenty of space for tallish people and it accomadates 5 no problem. Overall it has been a joy to drive and live with, I definitely spent my money wisely because these cars are rock solid.

Toyota Corolla Verso Manual 2005

I bought the verso as an ex demonstrator from a Toyota dealer. Apart from a few minor niggles it was ok until 60k miles. Driving on a dual carriage way with my family the gear box failed dramatically, causing loss of power and violent juddering. I was shaken in all senses of the word. The only reason I went with Toyota was the supposed reliability. I would be interested to speak to others who had similar problems, I think this is a safety issue, Toyota don’t. Please email me simcooper@hotmail.co.uk

Toyota Yaris TR

I bought the toyota Yaris as I had heard how good it is. Unfortunately, as soon as I took it from the garage I found the steering wheel was creaking. The whole steering column had to be changed. The hand break was loose so had to be tightened. It was recalled for the steering wheel and for the accelerator pedal. It keeps getting a squeak while driving. When the heater is on in winter I can smell burning. It went through front tyres at 12,500 miles. It has now started to rev while idle. I wish I could afford to sell it but unfortunately it will have to be mine for a few years yet. I would not recommend a Toyota and I think Toyota should be extending the warranty free of charge instead of charging over £300.

Toyota Aygo 2010

Aygo is going in tomorrow, large amounts of water in both footwells. I am not happy looks, like an ongoing problem with these little cars, hope it gets sorted asap.

Responses to this review

I am losing patience I want to like my Aygo but it seems to be suffering from the usual list of problems. Its had the wheel caps and bearings replaced, the clutch, the glovebox lid and the hazard warning light button. It has also suffered intermediate creaking noises in the suspension and steering. Its now started leaking into the drivers side footwell. I am booking it in to the dealer tomorrow. My Aygo is just barely 2 years old with 13,000 miles on the clock has anyone taken these issue up with Toyota head office. I am not sure this car will hold up after its warranty runs out on its third birthday. Please let me know what you think - Kieran Mahon from London

Very interested to hear about your problems with the Aygo. We have an Aygo Blue 5dr hatchback registered inOct 2007. We bought it 2 years ago. There has always been a problem with condensation but earlier this year we found that 2 cushions we had in the boot had grown mildew and there was a terrible smell of damp in the car. We took it to the local dealership who examined it and told us that water had been leaking in through the speaker covers. although they assure me that all the water has been removed, there is still a terrible smell of damp and I am taking it back for further investigation - Margarita Cooper from Moray (Elgin) and Nairn Shire

Toyota Hiace POWERVAN 2.4D 1997

Had all types of vans, new and used over the last 22 years, but the Toyota I have now is the best of the lot! Bought 2 1/2yrs ago with 125,000 and new cam belt, been all over France twice and use it every day for work; I’m a builder. Does everything I ask of it and more,with an average of 35mpg, worst was 30mpg running down France FULLY loaded at 85mph; the best has been an average of 45mpg. Yes, I said 45mpg and that is no made-up figure! Would I buy another? The answer is a big YES, but I think I might have to wait some time until this one goes to the big scrap heap in the sky!

Responses to this review

What PSI do you run your tyres at? - Nick Mills from Hampshire

Toyota Hiace 1996

I have had my van for 5 years and until this year the most I have have ever spent at mot time is about £50 . These are amazing vans get in every morning and it starts without fail very very reliable can’t recommend it high enough. My Mechanic reckons it still has its original exhaust not bad for 135,000 miles. I am now thinking of changing as the Cornish salt air is starting to get to the bodywork ,but after looking around at more stylish vans I have realised that if I want reliability over style it’s got to be another Hiace. I said to a friend, they have not changed much as they have got newer, he said thats because they don’t need to -if something works why change it? Thats why I will be getting another Hiace soon.

Toyota Aygo 2008

UPDATE: Following my ICE inside car and extreme condensation problems. Toyota have done everything they know to correct my problems but I am NOT 100% SURE that everything will be OK when the winter weather returns. In the meantime the ombudsman ruled that my car WAS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE FROM DAY ONE and Toyota HAVE BOUGHT MY CAR BACK FROM ME at a high financial loss to me. I just wanted this nightmare over so have now handed my car back and changed to a Fiat 500 which I find far superior in many areas and a lovely little car with NO PROBLEMS so far. No one HAS EVER SAID SORRY to me for all the disruption and emotional stress I have had endured for many months however the ombudsman did get a small amount of compensation and some of my extra costs incurred. I will keep looking at this site if you have any questions for me please submit and I will try and help you other suffers.

Responses to this review

Good luck with changing car to Fiat. After spending £2000 on repairs, I would never ever advise anyone to buy it. Trading my Fiat in and getting the Aygo blue 2010. Never had such unreliable car as Fiat before. - Sandy from England

Totally agree with the comments about Fiat 500 - it has been in and out the repair garage since new. Had a Fiat Yaris (old style) before - now starting to think about the Aygo - pity about the condensation problems - KaBu from Scotland

Toyota Yaris 1.3 semi auto Spirit 2010

When is a semi auto not a semi auto? When it’s a Yaris 07. My 20 year old daughter just passed her driving test and was looking for a car. We decided on a semi auto Yaris as she liked the look of it and I "KNEW" that everything Toyota is ultra reliable & well made. My self & my brother have 03 Avensis 2.0 semi autos & we’re both very happy with them. I’ve been driving for 25 years & have never driven a car with such a nasty gearbox. It feels like it’s being driven by a learner driver who is on their first driving lesson. Very jerky and takes ages to change even when you put your foot down. When sent it back to get some dealer issues dealt with and asked them to also check the gear box it wasn’t operating as I "know" Toyota semi auto boxes should. I then spoke to the dealer customer service person who informed me that this was how this car drives, so I called Toyota who said that this was indeed the case. I was amazed when they told me that this was a manual gear box with some sort of mechanism atached to it. Whatever any of you reading this doe’s please do not even consider buying a "semi-auto Yaris as it’s a total disgrace.

Responses to this review

I totally agree. My daughter’s Yaris is a ’semi-automatic’ recently bought but not under guarantee. Although it is 7 years old it has only done 30,000 miles. The clutch has a problem and it needs new actuators. Apparently this is going to cost £2000. Unfortunately,if she doesn’t have it fixed the car is worthless. This is disgusting - Sheila Pearce from England

I’m having the same problem. I bought a brand new Toyota Yaris T-Spirit (MMT) in 2006, in 2008 I noticed the gear change became jerky and not smooth. I took it to the dealer and I believe they changed the gearbox and the device that tells the car to change gears, which seemed to fix the problem. Six months ago, the exact same problem re-occurred, I took it to another Toyota dealer (as the one I bought the car from had closed down), and they say there is nothing wrong with the car, it is the way I am driving it! It has become worse over the past months as it seems to be affected with cold weather as it becomes worse on colder days. I have written a letter to Toyota Head Office about a month ago complaining about this default but have had no response from them to date... Typical! Any ideas please on what to do? B Hadid from Middlesex

There is an updated transmission ECU that can be changed under warranty. Your dealer should be able to sort this for you. The logic in the ECU has been changed to stop the harsh lurching forward from cold and the poor gear change - Dave from England

Hi, what is this update please? Jeanne from England

Toyota Hilux Invincible 2009

I Looked at all the vehicles in this class and quite honestly not one came near. I use the invincible every day. It gives a fantastic ride with the fuel economy to match. My only advise to a propsective buyer is get the truck but DO NOT FIT Toyota Reversing Sensors as they DO NOT WORK.

Toyota Hilux VX 270 2003

This is the second I’ve owned, the first being a non turbo 2.8lt SSRX Japanese import which was totally reliable. The 2.5 D4D has much better performance over my old one and has been as relable as my previous one. I tow a caravan (For holidays might I add) and the VX 270 is much better than the old one. Only one thing I will say, is that I have just come back from a holiday in Spain and on my trip to Galicia on the north west coast above Portugal, the hills are fairly long and steep on the motorways. As I was packed to the brim plus child and wife, I had to put the foot to the floor in 3rd gear to get up quite a few of them. After a couple of hours, I thought I had blown up the turbo when all power died and I could hardly get up the hill. I managed to pull off the motorway and after about half an hour, the green engine light that had come on, went back off. I later find out after phoning my mechanic back in the UK, that the engine had gone into a get you home mode. It worked perfectly after that, but I was not so heavy footed after that. Having had 2 Hilux’s, it goes without saying that I would recommend without hesitation. I am going to buy another double next year. I am considering the Nissan Nevara and will test drive one, but will also look for a 3.0 D4D Auto.

Responses to this review

Would you recommend this for carrying hay to horses in Essex and towing a horse box plus three children - Hayley Elgood from London

Toyota Yaris 2009

Great small car, like everything about it except for: Dificulty engaging 1st and reverse gears. My 1938 Singer le Manns had the same problem. Progress hey Toyota? When changing up the engine revs go up as you make the change from first to second. Thought it was something I was doing but see others have it. Absolutely no torque, lose the revs you have a problem. Drive through the gears and you can get good performance out of it, but you have to drive this car. Steering, brakes, handling are the best I have ever experienced on any car. Only done 9000miles, first service coming up.

Responses to this review

I owned a Yaris 10 years ago and have just bought a 59 reg TR. Thought it was my driving technique that was making the revs go up from 1st to 2nd! Glad to see that wasn’t the case. I have difficulty getting into 3rd sometimes. Anyway still love this car! Laurence from Durham

Toyota Aygo 2006

Hi, I have just found this website. I had to downsize to an second hand Aygo (previous cars from new Corolla and Yaris fantastic cars) all from the same dealership. I have had the car just over a year and she has constantly been back to the garage with brake lights - water leak in the boot and today I had to pull over to a garage as there was a very noisy knocking sound every time I pressed on the clutch and have been informed by garage that it is possible that I need a new clutch - milage is 28,000 - I have however spoken to Toyota customer service team and was told to take car back to the dealer I brought from and if there is a defect I would only have to contribute a payment (shirley if defect it should be down to Toyota to rectify) or if it is down to wear and tear (driving on the clutch what ever that is) I would have to pay the rate of £458 - I rang the service team at the dealership and was told the warrenty had run out, and I would have to pay for stripping down the clutch and paying for a new one. Once I informed them that I had spoken to toyota’s customer service and I had a reference number to quote "they would see what they could do and ring me back" - I have heard nothing - so do I ring around and go else where?

Responses to this review

Just to let you know that I took the Aygo to another dealership and I had the car checked over for free and I was informed that it was the bearings and a spring which had gone - I had a quote which was £70 more than the previous one. However I was told that as the warranty had run out it would not be covered, but after the sales team spoke to Toyota Customer Services I was informed that they would bear the cost of a new clutch, if I was to pay £282 for labour. So she has now had a new steering wheel, hopefully a leaky boot sorted (not had bad weather to test her) now a new clutch, I prey nothing else goes what I call seriously wrong. This has not put me off other models of Toyota cars, but you should no way buy or recommend an Aygo - this is the runt of the litter - Joanne from Derbyshire

I have owned my Aygo since new from 2006 with no problems at all until I suddenly developed a heavy clutch one day. I had no symptons previously like slipping etc so I took it to my local dealer who to my horror said that my clutch needed replacing. I couldn’t believe it as I only had 26700 miles on the clock. I immediately went on to the Aygo Owners Club forum and to my horror I realised that it wasn’t just me who had developed this problem so obviously there must be a defect. I called the dealer who supplied me with my vehicle and explained that I had been on the site and read other reviews and was there anything they could do for me. They rang me back and said that they had spoken to Toyota Head Office and as a good will gesture they would replace the clutch free of charge. They were very helpful and saved me a lot of money as I was over the warranty period but now at least I have piece of mind at least for another 12 months. I would advise you to contact the dealer who supplied you with the vehicle again. Good Luck! Lisa Carter from Warwickshire

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2010

I bought my 1.3TR 5dr after my previous Yaris (03 1.0ltr colour collection) was written off following a rear end smash. I considered the Aygo, as I was pleasantly surprised when I test drove it, but stretched myself financially and went for the Yaris for cabin and boot space mainly. I really want to love my new car as there are lots of good points - the stop/start feature suits my style of driving, as I do go into neutral and apply the handbrake when stationary at traffic lights. Great visibility and handling, the music system is good and I can plug in my phone rather than carrying lots of CD’s... HOWEVER - the fuel economy is not what I expected. 80% of my mileage is done on the motorway and I am nowhere near the expected mpg, even taking into account speed and whether the air con is on etc. 6th gear is definitely a cruising gear, don’t attempt to accelerate or even maintain speed on the slightest of inclines, without flooring the accelerator or dropping down to 5th. Also, the gear selection is diabolical. Now, to the mechanic below, whilst I think you wrote some very good points, I object to being told that I can’t drive. I have been driving (without incident until the above no-fault smash) for 22 years. I also used to work for a number of Toyota and Lexus garages and as a result drove an array of models without any hint of gear problems. This was between 1999 and 2005. Since picking up my new car in March I have had problems with selecting 1st, 2nd and occasionally reverse. I thought I would give the car the benefit of the doubt and didn’t report it at first, choosing to "run the car in" and see what happened and also to check if I just needed to get used to it (although why I thought this I don’t know, as I have never had a problem driving any car before). Anyhow, I booked the car in to be checked last month and was advised by the Service Dept that they had adjusted the cables, as they agreed that selection was difficult, although they thought 2nd was the worst. On the positive side, they told me to see how it then felt, but that if I was still unhappy they would replace the gear box for me. I was a little shocked at this, with my car only being 3 months old. The gear selection does feel slightly better, it hasn’t "popped" out of second since, but I do still get problems selecting the three problematic gears every now and then, at least every couple of days, sometimes more often. I’m in two minds what to do, what if the new gearbox is just as bad or worse? Will Toyota refuse to help again if they have already changed the gearbox once? I suppose I am lucky, as reading the other reviews, I seem to be the only one who has been offered this option, is it too good to turn down? Some serious decisions need to be made. After the hassle of the accident and loosing my beloved 03 model, this is the last thing I was expecting when choosing a brand new Toyota. I have always sung their praises and recommended Toyota to everyone I know, but the sparkle has definitely tarnished!!!!

Responses to this review

Lisa, I totally agree with you about the Yaris. I bought a brand new 2008 version 1.3 SR and had no end of trouble with gears and brakes and clutch. Had a new clutch after 3000 miles, new gear box oil but evenutally I sold it back to the dealer after 13 months and bought a brand new Ford Fiesta, which although not perfect has none of the issues the Yaris had and is a joy to drive. Every time I see a Yaris on the road I want to crash into it as I hate them with a passion, the car made me angry every time I drove it. I have also been driving for 24 years and have had new cars but none of them had any of the problems the Toyota had. I cannot understand how you can give it a 3 star rating though, even 1 star is too much. And also to be told by a mechanic that if you had problems driving the car, it is because you cannot drive is very insulting and an ignorant comment....I have passed my advanced driving test amongst others and am now an advanced driving instructor but will never have a Toyota as I think they are over rated and most other cars a far better to drive - Peter from Bedfordshire

Toyota Yaris 1.5 litre VVTI 2007

I bought my lovely Toyota Yaris 1.5 litre VVTI it’s a very practical car especially in the city. It has a comfortable interior and I have a lot of fun driving this car. I could say it’s not the best car, but with the price it’s a very good and reliable car. I never had any trouble with my car so I strongly advise any body to try it.. Good luck

Toyota Hiace 300gs 1996

What can I say? If you want van that just keeps going, it has to be the Hiace. Ours was just written off but in the 14 years we’ve owned it, apart from regular servicing and general wear and tear such as tires and bulbs, we have only had to change that problematic ball joint on the front suspension (not a requirement with our MOT garage, but it does make it clunky when on rough roads). 475,000 miles and the clutch was just on the verge of needing to be changed. Now, alright, we used it as a car 50 weeks out of the year and only towed any real weight, even then only about a ton, on the occasional weekends but still how many cars go for 475,000 miles? Let alone have the original clutch in it. MPG seems to stick at 30MPG whether its being hammered at 80-85mph up the motorway (one thing I’ve noticed is that most Hiace’s speedos read 10% higher than actual speed) or doing a comfortable 50 on long straight country roads. Even on the basic model power isn’t an issue because you have bags of torque thanks to the low gearing and you’ll find yourself overtaking in some places where a car wouldn’t, though this does make high speed runs damn noisy. In fact, in all honesty, the only negative thing about this van is that it lacks a 7th and a 6th gear, driving in 5th is like having a 3 speed car with overdrive. i.e. 3500 RPM for 65 mph. But the new Hiace (up to 08) has a higher ratio box anyway.

Toyota Hiace 300gs 1996

What can I say, if you want a van that just keeps going it has to be the Hiace. Ours was just written off but in the 14 years we’ve owned it, apart from regular servicing and general wear and tear such as tyres and bulbs, we have only had to change that problematic ball joint on the front suspension (not a requirement with our MOT garage, but it does make it clunky when on rough roads). 475,000 miles and the clutch was just on the verge of needing to be changed, now alright we used it as a car 50 weeks out of the year and only towed any real weight, even then only about a ton, on the occasional weekends but still how many cars go for 475,000 miles? let alone have the original clutch in it. MPG seems to stick at 30MPG whether its being hammered at 80-85mph up the motorway (one thing I’ve noticed is that most Hiace’s speedo’s read 10% higher than actual speed) or doing a comfortable 50 on long straight country roads. Even on the basic model power isn’t an issue because you have bags of torque thanks to the low gearing and you’ll find yourself overtaking in some places where a car wouldn’t, though this does make high speed runs damn noisy. In fact in all honesty the only negative things about this van is that it lacks a 7th and a 6th gear, driving in 5th is like having a 3 speed car with overdrive. i.e. 3500 RPM for 65 mph. But the new Hiace (up to 08) has a higher ratio box anyway.

Responses to this review

Hi, could you tell me from what year to get the ratios for gearing changed? I have a 98 Hiace but looking to replace but want something that will cruise at 70 down the motorway quietly - Dan R from England

Have to concur with the under reading speedo, picked up my Hiace SWB 288 GS 88 yesterday, running at an indicated 70, sat nav said 64 - Nick from Hampshire

Toyota Hiace 2007

I have had 5 Toyota vans, the new shape is the worst van I have ever had. I was nearly killed by carbon momoxide fumes in my cab, but toyota kept denying it. I took the chief mechanic for a drive and being a combustion engineer took my test analyser, it red between 3-6 parts of co2, lethal. The tyres regularly wear out on the steering, with outer wear on one side. The £1200 ac has packed up twice, now at 70000 out of warranty in 30 degrees. I am pi***d off. Last service was at an independent and he reckons the rear brake have never been checked. At least it stops now! The a/c a waste of money as it came with reverse sensers, that was the package. only trouble is they are in the rear of the van and with a bulk head cannot be heard. My next van I need an auto, so much driving my knees are destroyed, but Toyota doesn’t even offer one so back to the euro market that Toyota has tried so hard to imitate; get the market then imitate it in construction.

Responses to this review

I almost passed out passing a lorry on the A1 the other day in my landcruiser lc5 d4d...had to get my Mrs to pick me up and she said she could smell something like fumes (a bit like some sweaty feet) coming out of mostly rhs air vent. I’ve been to the doctor and I’m fine but I could have killed someone and myself. This also happened again today so I’ve booked it in for a check, also the aircon has packed up so I’m not sure it has anything to do with that or not...but very scary!!! - Jim High from Nottinghamshire

Did you resolve this problem at all? I have a similar issue so would be very interested to know outcome - 0783 662 9106 - Ian Gray from Staffordshire

Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2009

Had Corolla for ten years or more. No trouble, would like another.

Toyota Yaris 2010

Bought our first brand new car, went for a Toyota because thought would be the most reliable, big mistake with the Yaris. We have a petrol 6 gear stop and go and have had to learn how to drive it, gears are hard to change and clunk, mpg is only about 35, much lower than the urban average they quote. Constant revving in low gear change and braking and so it does not stall when at traffic lights you have to rev the accelerater. My husband and I both have around 25 years driving experience and will never by a Toyota again. The only thing I like about this car is the high seats, which makes it easy to get in and out of.

Responses to this review

I totally agree with all of your points. I have constant problems with over revving, stalling particularly on hills, a gear box which feels like stirring porridge and on average acheive 43 mpg. I have had Toyota’s Field Service Mananger come up and drive it only to be told that basically it is my driving style. They do admit that my accelerator pedal has "too much play". However, they cannot adjust it- this together with "Variable Valve Timing - Intelligent"(don’t think so) technology introduced to improve exhaust emissions and fuel consumption, will result in the engine stalling quite easily. I am looking into getting an independent expert witness and taking them to arbitration - Lynda Reddish from Lancashire

I have heard a rumour that there is yet another recall in USA connected to the Yaris and it is a problem with the computer. It could explain the stalling/over revving but I can’t find out much at the moment... Lynda Reddish from England

Toyota Yaris Verso Auto 2001

Wish I had never sold it, great car, no problems, comfortable, spacious, easy to drive.   

Toyota Aygo Sports 2006

I have an Aygo which is not 4 years old yet and has done just over 14,000 miles and have just been told by garage that it needs a new steering rack and water pump amounting to about £970 in total Surely such a young car with few miles can’t need a new rack?

Responses to this review

I am a trained motor vehicle technician and driving instuctor. My little bundle of joy an ’08 plate has had fitted a new modified clutch, water pump and steering rack. It bumps squeaks and rattles merrily. Seems all this is normal! I would agree if it was a Russian-made Moskovich but it’s not, its a TOYOTA. Well serves us right for not checking to see who their partners were in building this amazing little vehicle; yes the French! Let’s see, they changed an inexpensive easy-to-change timing belt to a very expensive timing chain and the price for a clutch would be okay if it was a Ferrari. Trading Standards do they exist, the pressure plate diaphragm spring on the clutch is prone to split leading to loss of gears and clutch slip. Professionally, I consider this dangerous even lethal. Imagine you are on a motorway slip road when this occurs, 1) loss of power, 2) can’t select gears. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination! Trading Standards seem to be ignoring these complaints that are apparently breaching our rights as consumers, and I would say our safety. My first Toyota and, as long as they are in bed with the french, my last! - Harry Thomson from Scotland

Toyota Celica T-Sport 2005

The Celica should be rubbish, on paper it appears underpowered, is noisy inside, is pretty basic in terms of its features and can be cramped for bigger drivers... However, it is quite honestly one of the best cars I have ever driven. Once you are motoring along, all the above is forgotten and you just enjoy the car for what it is, a superb handling, comfortable and nippy car that just feels so right in every respect and then has the audacity to top it all off with true head turning looks. Overall a brilliant car. Shows what Toyota used to be capable of before they started churning out the bland, mediocre machines they do today.

Toyota Yaris TR 1.33 2010

I bought mine brand new a little over a month ago now and it is a fantastic car. Very well priced with a good level of equipment. To drive it feels very solid and stable, all the pedals are firm and have good feel to them. The steering is nice and weighty and had a good feel to it. The gearbox is fantastic, and has a great feel to it, unlike the previous 5-speed model which felt like stirring coal at times. The engine is refined and punchy, offering good acceleration. The stop-start system is excellent. Cutting out when you come to a stop and firing up again before you’ve even had a chance to put it back in gear. The fuel economy is very good, and cheap road tax (£0 for this first year’s tax disc) and insurance are other plus points. The only downside I can think of is that the ride can get a little bit crashy on awful road surfaces, but nevertheless I would definitely recommend a 2010 Yaris to anyone who is looking for a well built, economical and dependable car.

Responses to this review

My stop/start technology is extremely tempremental, it has a mind of its own. below 5 C it will not operate at all. It works one day then doesn`t the next... The capacitor that stores the power to restart after a stop/start is a very poor design and in my opinion has not been tested thoroughly enough. I will be contacting Toyota for an explanation because they are selling their cars on technology that is not reliable at all! Anthony Smith from Hertfordshire

Toyota Yaris T2 1.0 2009

I have owned my Yaris for almost a year. I am generally very pleased with it. The gearbox seemed to get smoother to shift with more miles on it and I have never had a problem selecting gears. I do however, occasionally experience slight clutch ’judder’ when setting off, but this only seems to happen in cold weather, and does not occur once I have driven a couple of miles. The little 1.0 engine is excellent - it just needs to be kept spinning. It is surprisingly capable for such a small unit. I get 52-58 mpg with a mix of urban and 70mph motorway driving. There is the odd slight trim rattle, but this only developed after 10 months, and it comes and goes. I have driven the 1.33 6-speed version, and I do not think it is worth the extra money. The 6 speed gearbox did not shift as smoothly as my 5 speed, and the bigger engine did not feel like it had tons more power, it just pulled a little better and I only got 44 mpg. Quality is not as good as Honda, but it is better than most other brands. I would buy another.

Toyota Hiace 2008

Since day 1 the clutch has been too aggresive, unless my gear changes are spot on it slips or grabs badly. I have done 62,000 km now and find I have to feather out the clutch or I have the rear of the van hopping down the road. l have driven for over 35 years and have never experienced anything like that. Reversing is a waste of time, any slight incline and the clutch starts burning, that has happened from day 1. I have reported it several times to my dealership and have been told that it is fine. I don’t bother now, the time I spent with the van in to be fixed cost me more than replacing the clutch. The ride is too rough, the Sydney roads are not the best, but at the end of the day I can’t wait to get out of it. I have the petrol motor, great power at high revs, hopeless at low revs. I carry a few hunrded kilos and with a hill start it is struggling. I try keeping it in a straight line at 100 kph with a slight side wind, no way. With wind gusts it is dangerous, being blown all over the road. The rear diff puts all the power to one wheel too readily. Going around a roundabout in wet weather you have to crawl otherwise the rear wheel is spinning; you guessed it. I think this is a poor vehicle, well made but dreadful to drive. l have had Land Cruisers and earlier Hiace’s but this current bodied Hiace is rubbish.

Toyota Hilux 3.0 invincible 2008

Guttless for towing (2 tonne plus), first gear way too high and clutch is going at 35,000 miles. Have been told that Toyota will replace foc up to 60,000 miles.Fuel consumption 22.4 mpg, I work mine! Save your money buy and older landcruiser 4.2 VX and get 25mpg plus.

Responses to this review

I have had three Hilux Invincibles, the lastest in 2008 (Limited Edition 200). The extra power of the chipped engine does make a great deal of difference. I tow a trailer with around two ton, plus around 10cwt on the truck. I started to use Shell VP Diesel, and this also makes a difference, not only to performance but adds an extra 3mpg. I have not had trouble with the clutch, and got 38,000 miles out of the tyres. I realise that around Scotland, the hills are liable to be steeper than my county, but try doing it with a Navara, and then see how you get on - Mike Hansen from Kent

Toyota Yaris 2009

The clutch is INCREDIBLY spongy. I have had the car for 9 months now, I have been driving for more than 40 years, I have sworn by Toyota cars in the past but I still haven´t "mastered" it because it is badly designed. The oil consumption is quite amazingly high. The petrol guage is very easy to miss as it falls on a long drive given that it is a minute series of white light dots located at the furthest extreme from the driver on the display and does not include any warning sound whatsoever as it falls towards zero unlike the vast majority of rival cars. (Yes it does flash on and off; a single minute white dot at the furthest extremity of the display.) Overall, a disappointment. Not what I expect of a Toyota.

Responses to this review

Bought my Yaris 1.33 TR from the "North East’s Premier Toyota Dealer" in October 2009 after waiting weeks for it to arrive (Dealer-"unforseen difficulties") and what a waste of time and money! Used to have a Vauxhall Corsa and compared to that, the Yaris is utter rubbish. It is overpriced, overhyped and my relationship with it is nearly over, thank god!! There is no way on god’s earth that it has a 100 horse engine, it lacks torque and power at the bottom end, the handling is attrocious (on the Corsa it was crisp), Toyota’s fuel economy figures are at best optimistic - my personal best is 52 mpg. My car must have been thrown together by the last friday night shift before a bank holiday weekend because I wish my dash panels were fitted as expertly as the showroom models- there are bits sticking out all over (Dealer-"you must have got a dud one"). Only a few more days left with this granny mobile, guess which small hatch I’m going back to? - Paul Dean from Northumberland

Toyota Aygo 2006

Oh boy, this sounds all too familiar to me now. Before stumbling onto this forum, I thought I was the only one having these very same problems. Having moved over here from South Africa, I thought the ice problem was just one of those things assosiated with the UK’s colder climate. I have also recently noticed the damp under the carpets in the rear passenger footwell. Then there’s the problem with the radiator leaking coolant all over the place AND for some reason the tyres need replacing just about every 10 000 km’s and no, I do not drive like the silver dream racer and I check the tyre pressure at least once a month! Most recently however my clutch has started failing. I was unable to go and see my daughter today as I stopped at a traffic light and no amount of force allowed me to get the car back into gear! It is clear to me now that these cars are plagued with problems AND the people at Toyota know it but they are perfectly happy to keep ripping people off! My advice to anyone thinking of buying an Aygo would be to stay well clear!

Responses to this review

Hi I have just read your report and I have just posted a report on my 2006 Aygo as I appear to had resolved a by Toyota a leaky boot - have not had wet weather to test it yet - also I had to pull up at the nearest garage as when I pressed down on the clutch there was a horrid knocking sound and the garage suspects that the clutch is going - I am waiting for Toyota dealership to get back to me - as I went via Toyota’s customer service and they informed me that if it is defective they would only ask me to contribute towards costs (if defective surely Toyota should stand the costs) but if it is down to wear and tear I would have to pay full costs - they gave me a reference to quote when I speak to the Toyota dealership - I am still waiting for them to get back to me - hope this helps - Joanne Jones from Derbyshire

Toyota iQ CVT 2010

I picked up my new iQ last friday evening and am VERY impressed. I purchased the CVT model and after reading reviews saying they were slow and took alot of getting used to I was supprised at how great and easy it was to get used to. People have criticised the iQ for being slow from 0-60 but you dont buy this car for speed. If you want speed buy a bigger engine car. I find the iQ very comfortable, solid on the road, very quiet and feels safe to drive. The CVT is smoothe and acceleration is quick once up to desired speed ease off on the throttle and the engine revs die right down and you cruise away, The turning circle is unbelivable, making it very nippy and easy at parking. Only gripe I had is that the so called "glovebox" is an extra and at £80 or so, which is over priced for what it is. Other than that top marks. Before this I had a Smart car Passion and this knocks spots off that. The build quality is better.and the drive is smoother. As for the boot space if you put the rear seats down there’s plenty of space. If your going to be carrying 3 people regularly and need bootspace this is not a car for you. But for 1 or 2 people as a run around this is excellent.

Toyota Yaris Verso 2004

I have had quite a few problems with my Yaris Verso. First it needed a water pump at approximately 36,000 miles, then at 40, 000 miles the drive shafts needed replacing. Now at 47,000 miles I have had to have three relays replaced to get the cooling fan working. I also had to have an electrician at Stephen Eagells look at the lighter because the connection was intermittent. hen I got the motor back the c/d player wasn’t working although I had been using the player while I was taking the motor in to the garage. Apart from this the ride is good and the cabin well thought out and comfortable. But I certainly will not buy another Toyota.

Toyota Hiace 2.5 d4d 280 2005

I’ve had this van for 6 months now and not stopped smiling yet. Thrown every thing at it and it’s not missed a beat. I’ve tried many other used vans, good ones and bad ones, but with the Hiace you know its going to do the job. One down side to the van is that it seems to run out of power on hills.

Toyota Yaris 1.4D MMT 6-speed 2010

Lovely car, especially quiet after my little Aygo. As a lot of people have said the MMT gearbox does take a bit of getting used to. I am keen to know if other owners of this model have had a query regarding the 6th gear? My car will only go into 6th at above 70mph, which does seem a bit odd, if not illegal! I have queried Toyota a couple of times but they say this is "normal". The fact that the engine is running at 300rpm higher than it needs to at 60mph and averages just over 50mpg does not seem to arouse suspicion!!?? The car goes into 5th at just above 40mph and then there is a 30 mph difference before it goes into 6th, has to be wrong. I would appreciate comments from other owners of this model, the 1.4D MMT 6-speed.

Responses to this review

I bought a 1.4 MM Diesel new in late 2008. It was my first new car in over 30 years of driving. I chose the Yaris because it offered an autobox on a 1.4 diesel, which most other manufacturers weren’t at the time. Yes, it will change into 5th at 40mph on a light throttle. My 5 speed box does. As yours has a 6th gear and doesn’t change up to that until 70mph I would suggest you use manual mode to encourage it to change up earlier - it’s only the flick of a lever after all! Does yours have the irritating habit of dropping into 1st at low speeds when 2nd would be sufficient to keep the car rolling? Mine does. That is the one major criticism I have of the MM box. I also find that on light throttle applications going around roundabouts (of which there a lot here in Telford) it will change up to the next gear, usually at the apex of your curve around the roundabout; this unsettles the car when you’ve set a line and that does annoy me too. I’ve learned to let the box change down as it does on braking then ’hold’ it in gear manually until I’m round the island. It takes little effort to do that and does help with smoother cornering. I’m generally pleased with my Yaris but find that two years down the line I’m not achieving the 62mpg on a run I used to. My average these days is more like 59mpg on a run but that’s still pretty good compared to my previous car which struggled to achieve 40mpg on a run. Have a play with your MM gearbox Hillary and I think you’ll find you can improve the way it works - Neil Dunbar from Shropshire

2010 Yaris TR 1.4 D4D MMT Bought this lovely little motor 4 months ago, and I am over the moon with it. I have had many motors in my time, from minis to mercs,both autos and manuals,and this is the best of both worlds, an auto in traffic around town, and a mamual on a run, when with the use of the paddles, the revs can be kept low, and therefore fuel consumption kept down. You just have to recognise that this isnt an automatic, but a manual with an electric/electronically operated clutch-wonderful, and much better than the similar Honda.I get about 53 mpg in purely town driving, and about 65 mpg on a run-can’t be bad! I love it - George Dobson from Durham

Toyota Yaris 2008

JAPANESE BUILD Yaris 1999 1.0 petrol - small, bulletproof car, 158000km of city driving mostly, absolutely no issues at all. Only one light bulb changed in last 11 years. Perfect 5 stars.

MADE IN FRANCE yaris 2007 1.3 33000km - urban fuel consumption a bit high 8l per 100km.130-140kmh at freeway-6l per 100km-perfect. no issues except a bit hard clutch pedal and noisy windshield wiper. Both headlights died but replaced in warranty.and my big mistake-black colour-although it looks very nice after car wash. 4 stars

MADE IN FRANCE yaris 2008 1.0 petrol - great fuel economy at 90km/h,140km/h and city driving.6-6.5 l per 100km. The bad; aircon died an 15000km, clutch set changed at 38000.exhaust changed also. 3 stars because of warranty, otherwise would never buy Toyota again, that really sucks even if in warranty

Toyota Auris MMT 2009

I’ve had nothing but problems with it - 6 times it has been back to dealer since I got it. I’m waiting to hear back from Toyota Ireland...

Responses to this review

Hi Paul, I know where you’re comming from with the problems you are having. I also have a mmt junk box, have heard all the bull***t from my dealer too. It is the worst gearbox by far, why don’t they just put a automatic gearbox in them? If you want a manaul car you buy one! - William Nolan from Ireland

Hi, I’ve got an Auris MMT and am having nothing but trouble. The gear box can’t decide which gear it wants to be in when driving up a slope. Then it will roll back while going 30 mph... Chris W from Caerphilly

I’m thinking of buying a 2008 1.6 MM but am a little concerned with the transmission as its a little jerky at lower speeds when in auto mode but I’ve been told you can control this after you have being driving it for a while??? What sort of problems did you have??? Anthony from Ireland

Hi! I bought a new 1.4 Toyota Auris diesel mmt about 4 months ago, the problems I am having is it sticks in first gear nearly revs out before it changes then it goes into 2nd then 3rd it gets confused. I have had it back to the dealer they said they reprogrammed the gear change and guess what? It’s still happening! I also have a vibration somewhere under the bonnet, which I never had before, it will be going back to them. I am afraid to say I am very disappointed with it, I would be an experienced driver as I drive for a living, what happens if it acts like this in the snow or ice? If it’s not sorted I will get rid of it, the only one that loses in this regard is me, probably thousands, take my advice stay away, if you want a semi auto look at the dsg or powershift gearboxs, i’m sorry I didn’t - Colin Nulty from Ireland

Toyota Aygo Blue 2010

This is the 2nd Aygo we have bought for the wife and it’s a great runner. I’ve been a mechanic for 11 years and never fixed or heard of these problems people keep mentioning. All cars come with faults, we both had the 2008 Yaris and mine has been in 4 times for warranty issues but hers has had no problems at all. I think Toyota’s are built the way cars should be and we will buy another again.

Responses to this review

I think you’re telling porkies - Tony Thompson from Devon

Toyota Aygo 2007

Am I the ONLY one here that does NOT have a leaky Aygo? Okay, this is a budget car, and I understand why I bought this car. It’s only got one boot strut, no light switch for the passenger side, and no sun roof. Its a cheap car, and thats why I bought it, and the MPGs. All in all this car if far better than my Peuegot 106. My Aygo is cheap to tax, it’s only £20 a year, and that means I can use the car less and do not have to worry about having to pay £120 a year for my Peuegot. My Aygo is cheeky, its fun to drive, cheap on the petrol, and have to fill her up, and spend time at the pumps than I ever did with the Peuegot. Most of ALL. My Aygo does NOT LEAK!

Toyota Aygo 2007

My car is just about 3 years old. It has done a mere 17,000 miles. Up to date it has had new gear cables and rear leaking wheel cylnders fixed on the warranty, rear and front brake pads and discs and 2 new tyres. As a previous reviewee stated I bought this car because it was supposed to be economical to drive, and I have to say I have enjoyed driving it, but the time has come to sell it. I want and need a reliable and economical car, and these toyota aygo’s certainly appear not to be that. You forfeit what you save on insurance, road tax and petrol on the garage bills when it goes wrong. I will not be buying a toyota again, I have never had so many things go wrong with a car in a short time ever.

Toyota Yaris 2007

Seemed to have no problems with this car until expiration of 3 year warranty. Since then have had to have clutch replaced due to burning smell and chugging in slow moving traffic. Paid over the odds for repair at dealership but burning smell reoccured 5 weeks ago. Climate control stopped working after last service & pedal recall. Bought this car after doing thorough research and recommendations. Don’t know if I’ve just been unlucky but am now thoroughly unhappy and waiting for next thing to go wrong. Mine seems to have been built to last only 3 years. Dealers are nice but would not accept that there was a fault with the clutch despite what other people have reported.

Toyota Yaris 2009

Thought this was going to be my dream car! Bought it new - and it now has 6000 miles. The gear box is really difficult. Selecting second gear is sometimes impossible - leaving you stranded out of gear! I’m really looking forward to this in TT week (Isle of Man) - not! Still in negotiations with Toyota to try and fix the car. Want to get rid of it asap.

Toyota Hiace 1997

I went to the local auction and paid £2400 for a white Toyota Hiace with 130k on clock over 8 years ago (P reg). Taken van around France for 4 months and used as a work horse ever since and at times it works very hard fully loaded. I change the oil every MoT. The only things I have had to replace is one ball joint, one bulb and tyres. Everytime I go to my van it starts and never lets me down. I believe if I keep the van for another 8 years it would not let me down. When I do replace the van it will it would be for another Toyota. Anybody out there thinking of buying a new van buy Toyota because they are simply the BEST!

Toyota Yaris 1999

Have been driving my little black Toyota Yaris 1.0 since 1999 and it has NEVER given me any trouble. I have only ever had the tyres changed and called the AA once. The guy who came out said I had spilt some oil on the engine (I called them cos I could smell the oil burning) he went on to say that in 18 years of working with the AA he knew it would be something and nothing as it is a Toyota. I have just upgraded it it - BEST AND MOST RELIABLE CARS EVER!

Toyota Yaris 2009

Had problems with the gears on my Yaris since I bought it new a year ago. Often impossible to get into 1st gear and reverse, takes several attempts and then very difficult. Toyota say no fault found. Also the clutch went completely 2 weeks ago and had to be in garage 2 days, not good for a car under 1 year old and with less than 15000 miles on it. though that the new clutch might solve the gear problem, but no. Going back to garage next week but sure they will just say no fault again. Had a toyota before this which was fantastic, but won’t be getting another.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 TR 2008

I have had the 1.3 Yaris just over 18 months, apart from the throttle recall it has only required routine servicing. My previous vehicle was a BMW MINI, it was with great relief to move over to a car that was no longer the source of a poor driving position and backache! Yes, the Yaris is a bit ’bouncy’, but only on some of the poor quality roads in this part of Gloucestershire. The fuel economy is excellent and I often obtain mid 50’s mpg. Comfortable, solid controls, nice gear change and good brakes makes the car a pleasure to drive. There is nothing else on the market I feel could remotely surpass the Yaris. Being a Toyota, it’s nigh on bullet-proof, will hold its value well and start first time, every time. If you want a car that has more ’image’, handles better etc.... there are plenty around. But for the price/package the Yaris takes a lot of beating as a sound, common-sense car for every-day motoring.

Toyota Yaris 14 ltr diesel 2009

I work as a driving instructor and had a 08 14tr diesel with 5 speed gear and I got a new 09 model 6 speed, it is not as good as the previous car. The gearbox is very rough changing gears, can be difficult at times, also the car burns a lot of oil about 3 litres between service. Rear door latch sticking. I have spoken to the dealer and have had my car in a few times about these problems, they keep telling me that the cannot find any problems, with the gearbox and Toyota guide lines in handbook on oil useage is believe it or not is 1 litre per 600miles so the car has to be using 14 litres between service so who need to change oil, ha! On the last service they have changed the grade of oil but this does not seem to have solved the problem, going back to the dealer next week, will keep you posted.

Responses to this review

I have exactly the same problem with my Yaris. I had the turbo replaced but still using oil - got through whole engine full in 1825 miles. They still say this is with in Toyota guide lines. Done 26787 miles - Patrick Wilks from Hertfordshire

I bought a brand new 2008 d4d Yaris, had the first service at 7000 miles as I would be away when 10,000 came up. After driving another 3500 miles (none at high speed, only steady 60 to 70 on motorways) the oil light came on, I stopped and checked it - no oil in the engine!!! Since then it has continued to use oil at the same rate. Now done 11,500 miles and Toyota are doing the second. Drive it for a thousand mile check and they tell me Toyota spec is 1ltr per 1000 miles, what a joke. I had old bangers that never used that. There must be an intrinsic design fault with the engine. I have had Toyotas in the past and could never speak too highly of them, but their new breed of cars are just not up to par. However the dealer at Northampton has been very good and I hope a satisfactory conclusion will eventually reached - Paul Woodman from Northamptonshire

Toyota Auris 2008

I bought the Toyota Auris after owning a Toyota Corolla Hatchback, which I loved. However I find the Auris squeaky and the boot is small . Engine pulls well, but feel could do with a sixth gear. Visibility not as good as the Corolla. I miss my Corolla!

Toyota Celica 2003

We’ve had our Celica for several years and it is still a brilliant car to drive. Rear seats are an issue now the kids have grown up, but the boot is still surprisingly large and practical. Not the fastest cars, but you forget about that as soon as you chuck it into a bend, and it goes round it like it’s on rails. Great fun.

Toyota Yaris 2009

Bought a new Yaris T1 3 door in January 2009, was enjoying it until Friday last week, was going to drop the kids off at school and the gearbox packed up, with only 13000 km on the clock. Was really disappointed.

Responses to this review

Wow, I am having the very same problem at 30,000 miles under 3 years old. What are Toyota doing about these problems? Looks like nothing, I am waiting on the dealer, only had it serviced last week - Gail Speck from Bridgend

Toyota Aygo Sport 2006

Now I don’t like to complain but I am sick of paying out to get this car fixed. From day one it rattled on the left hand side. The air conditioning has never been the greatest. I always have condensation on the windows, the doors leak in water and make the car stink to high heaven. (yet Toyota say they can’t find a leak) I have had to fork out for numerous tyres/bulbs. Have Paid over £200 for brakes, £450 to get a part fitted in the exhaust, another £630 for some chain in the engine (????) and just today £193 to get a new water pump........ oh, but they do have a great coffee machine in the waiting area! Think it’s time for a new car not made by Toyota.

Responses to this review

I have a 107, same car as Aygo, my water pump failed at 4k miles - Paul Norbury from Lancashire

Did you know the water pumps are at fault? Toyota know this, I have had both my cars fixed - Stephen Stone from England

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon 2000

The best built cars in the world!!!! (Enough said)

Responses to this review

Good, but not the best!! Look at the deaths and safety recall data. Toyota knew about the issues long before the press and media did, and they did nothing - PB from England

Toyota 2.5 d4d gls 2002

Have had this van for 4 years, 91,000 on the clock and have to say overall a great van, no problems at all... just hoping it lives up to Toyota’s reliability, looks good so far! The only down side is they are a little thirstier than some of the other vans out there, but I think more than made up for by lower maintenance bills, so happy to recommend.

Toyota Yaris 4d4 2009

I’ve had the 1.4 Diesel since Christmas. It replaces a 2003 Yaris diesel that I had from new. The MKIII Yaris is a bigger car with more room in the back for passengers. Driver leg room is not brilliant. I’m 5’10 (178cm) and you wouldn’t want to be any taller. My wife’s Panda has more driver leg room but at the expense of rear passenger space. I’d expected better fuel economy from the new Yaris - at least that is what the official fuel figures would have me believe but whereas I used to get 850km out of the MK1 Yaris I have to drive very carefully to get 750-800km out of the MKIII. That’s about 4.5l/100km or a little over 60mpg at normal UK motorway speeds. It is a heavier car so maybe that is not surprising. The winter tires maybe make some difference and I will watch things over the summer. The body panels are as flimsy as the MK1 Yaris. Performance is slightly better and the 6th gear is worth it. The seats are just as uncomfortable. Build quality seems to have suffered on Toyotas. I’ve got a badly fitted interior panel, a vanity mirror that is stuck and the gear box does not feel as good with a noticable clunk when changing gear like something is loose. However I’ve had no problems changing gear, as mentioned in other reviews, even in alpine temperatures of -20C. The 6th gear reduced engine revs at motorway speeds. There is some wind noise over 125kp/h. The engine is much smokier when cold compared to the MK1 Yaris. So overall I’m less satisfied compared to the MK1 Yaris but I think the car represents good value for money. I would seriously consider other brands when buying my next car.

Toyota Yaris SR 2009

Part exchanged my t sport 54 reg Yaris a week ago for the new sr 1.8. I am well pleased all the tweaks have been made in all the right places. It’s a total pleasure to drive despite all the negative comments on this site. I would still recommend the new Yaris, to anyone who knows how to drive that is! My wife recently got the new Verso and guess what, it is also a fantastic car. Even clarkson says they are very reliable and he’s addicted to makes that are constantly flawed. British, Italian, French, take your pick I’ve driven them all and and been used to constant inferior reliability and build quality. The Japanese have got the upperhand on reliability because they take pride in all they do. Recent recalls, mainly in the American market, speaks volumes; they dont say U.S. for nothing!

Responses to this review

Try telling your story to the relatives of the people who died in the US because Toyota was too greedy to fully test their products and knowingly sold faulty manufactured car to their loyal customers - Jaisan Warren from England

Toyota Hiace SWB 95 1953

Okay, 6 Toyota Hiace’s later, with a mix of Short, Long, 95HP or 120HP, they have never let us down. One went to over 500,000 miles before we got rid and it’s still running with the new owner, the next oldest on a 53 plate just topped 260,000 miles before being written off in an accident. These vans are essentially bullet proof. That said the time has come to look elsewhere. New prices are ridiculous when compared to other manufacturers spec/size. 10K servicing is also a bind on high mileage users like us, and fuel economy isn’t great. Off to try a Citroen having read the shocking reviews of the Trafic/Vivaro/Primastar.

Responses to this review

Good luck with your new make of van, you will be back to Toyota. Search the net, brand new Toyota vans for £10995. That’s cheaper than anything I have seen - Robby Norfolk from Norfolk

Toyota Aygo 2007

I bought a Toyota Aygo black about a month ago and I’ve had no problems with it whatsoever. I bought it from Vantage Toyota in Blackburn. I do about 450 miles a week, going to work and back, mostly on motorways and I get about 56 mpg which I’m happy about. I have had no leaks or anything going wrong with it yet. I have had other Toyota cars and this one is the best so far. So, well done Toyota, I would buy another one. The car is a 2007 model with 4500 miles on the clock.

Toyota Verso 2003

I bought my Avensis Verso 3 y/o with 37k on clock. Now it has 90k and is 7 y/o. So, I really know this car now. I have to say it is brilliant family car. Reliability 100%. No major faults. Only one (1) extra repair needed when some engine valve broke and car went into safety mode so I could drive only up to 60 mph. But despite this I managed to get my family back from Brighton to Yorkshire with no problem! paid 140 quid for repair in Toyota garage. Enormous boot, end even enough boot space with 7 seats. Rear seats comfortable even for adults. I moved my house using only my Toyota after romoving second row of seats. Very comfortable. Few long travels to Eastern Europe with family of 5, and no luggage limitation without stress and back pain. It happened before when had Nissan Almera or Golf. Obviously 2,0 diesel does not make it a sport car but it is enough for easy ride and good economy. I fully recommend it as family/HGV car. The only problem is that Toyota stopped making this car and I can’t buy another one. Really is a pity.

Responses to this review

I do fully agree with Martin. I have had mine since November 2001. Now it’s 95,000 km, mostly urban, and I haven’t a problem with it! The only problem is that Toyota stopped making this car (in 2009) and I can’t buy another one, really is a pity - Miguel Serrano Cabeza from Spain

Toyota Avensis Hatchback Diesel D-4D TR 2007

Have only had this for two months, bought with 18500 miles on the clock. No complaints about the performance or economy but unhappy with level of tickover revs when cold and amount of time it takes to warm up. Yes it has a very firm ride and my wife complains of road noise as a front passenger but overall a good package with plenty of nice bits, ai.e. sat nav,folding mirrors etc. It has however just come back from Toyota Dealers who fitted a new Turbo,something over £2000 I understand,thankfully it has 3 year warranty plus extra 2 purchased with the car. I will see how it goes for the rest of the year and if unhappy will exchange when the new Focus TDCI comes out next year. Keeping everything crossed but at the moment am quite happy.

Toyota Aygo 2010

Took home my brand new Aygo 1st March 2010. Absolutely loved my car until two weeks later found the footwells in an inch of water! Took my Aygo back to Toyota who first said they woud fix the problem but wouldn’t replace the mats and carpets "until they were mouldy". I was completely disgusted. Eventually after getting very angry with their customer relations and the staff at Toyota they finally said they would replace the mats and the carpets. After speaking to Trading Standards they told me that I was completely within my rights to ask for a new car! WHAT EVER YOU DO, DON’T ACCEPT HAVING YOU YOUR CAR FIXED GO DIRECTLY FOR A NEW CAR AND FIGHT FOR IT!! ALSO MAKE SURE YOU GET A COURTESY CAR WHEN YOU TAKE YOURS IN AND DON’T LET THEM TELL YOU THEY DON’T HAVE ONE ’COS THEY ALWAYS HAVE!! Or you will have no leg to stand on. Firstly write a letter mentioning the Supply of Goods Implied Terms Act 1973, what and when the problem is, that it is not of satisfactory quality and that you want your car replaced with a new one. Send one letter to your Toyota dealer and one to the head office complaints department. They will then be in touch. Luckily I heard from the branch manager the next morning, which was actually 5 days after I took my car in. He finally agreed to TAKE BACK MY OLD CAR AND ORDER ME A NEW CAR! If only I had spoken to the manager earlier in the week it would have been sorted earlier without all the fuss!! Toyota certainly have some trust to rebuild, I have certainly lost mine!!

Responses to this review

Update: I collected My second brand new car today I finally had some good service!! When collecting my second brand new car I was also told that the service plan I had taken out for thre years would be free of charge!! Result!! Wasn’t quite expecting that much, but oh well. I also had a full tank of petrol and another bunch of flowers. I am now a much happier customer as long as it dosen’t happen again!! I will have to wait and see when it rains again!! - Ami Jolliffe from Devon

Well done you are the first that I have heard to get the correct result from Toyota. Unfortunately I took delivery of my car in May and did not know about my problems until November when the lower tempartures came. I have The Ombudsman now involved in my case but really need bad weather to see if my car is repaired after the upgraded seals fittted which may or may not solve my problems. Wish I lived closer to your area to get the proper treatment NO ONE HAS EVER said SORRY to me yet. Hope you set a precedent for others, well done again - Linda from Worcestershire

The car is a "courtesy" no where in law or policy do any dealers have to provide one - Jason Floyd from Kent

Toyota iQ Multidrive 2009

What a brilliant car! It drives really well and is excellent on the motorway and down country lanes which is a big suprise considering its a city car. The CVT auto is fantastic too, really suits the car. It feels like a bigger car to drive and had loads of equipment. The only slight negative at the moment is the fuel economy which is around 47-40 mpg which is shy of the 60mpg promised but I am sure with more miles on the clock that will improve. The dealer service has been exceptional too and they gave me a great deal on the car.

Responses to this review

UPDATE: Three months on and 6000 miles later, my iQ CVT is now returning between 52 - 59 mpg - Matt from Staffordshire

UPDATE: One year on and 23,500 miles later. The interior build quality is terrible! Nearly every panel rattles, including a strange noise coming from the tailgate. The Toyota dealer is unable to solve any of the problems, not what I expected. This is the worst car I have ever experienced for quality! On a brighter side, economy is remaining pretty good and the CVT auto is smooth - Matt from Staffordshire

Toyota Yaris Zinc 2007

I have a Yaris Zinc bought new in 2007 now having gearbox problems which first started 3 wks before the warranty expired. The engine would not start so I switched it off and left it for 30 mins and then it started and was ok. I had it checked by the Toyota garage, which stated a problem with gearbox software; this was reset. Three days after the warranty expired the same thing happened again, but have been told now out of warranty. The warranty starts when the car first registered with the DVLA, but I did not pick up car on first day as the garage forgot to fit the towbar so I picked it up 4 days later making it still in warranty. I’m taking it in on Tues 6/4/2010, here’s hoping. Now waiting for delivery of new Volkswagen Polo.

Responses to this review

I have a similar 2007 Yaris Zinc VVTi and have just experienced exactly the same. The neutral light is on, foot is on the brake pedal but the starter will not operate. The breakdown truck driver started to pull the car up onto the flatbed and said this car is in gear which was strange considering the neutral light was on. He released the winch tension and allowed the car to roll back down the ramp whereupon he was able to start the car as normal. The transmission warning light had been on but then went out prior to car starting. This would tend to indicate a gearbox electrical control problem be it a software or actuator/sensor problem. Mileage is only 28,000 so normal wear and tear is unlikely to be the cause! Any ideas out there? - William Thomson from Lanarkshire

I am having the same problem with my 57 Yaris auto. Sometimes it just will not start but if I leave it for 30 mins, it’s fine. I have taken it to the dealer who says it is to do with the automatic actuator and needs replacing cost £1,200! I am in the process of arguing with Toyota but so far, no joy. The garage has said they have had a few cars with the same problem, and now they have a different auto system in the new models - Gaynor Eyles from Northamptonshire

Toyota Yaris 2004

I can’t believe Toyota at all. I got a Toyota Yaris 18 mths ago and it’s been nothing but a hassel. 1st the earth was not on right and I broke down on the M50! 2nd it would not start for me one morning; called the after-care team, they told me it was not serviced...Hello!? I got it 2nd hand! 3rd my horn would not work and now the gear box is playing up and the worst thing is I still have 3 and a half years left to pay so I now going to court about it. Best of luck to anyone who thinks a Toyota Yaris is a good car; nothing but a a hunk of junk, a Fiat would be better. And to top it all Toyota didnt want to know, f***ers.

Toyota Yaris 2010

I don’t own a Yaris, but I drive them regularly as I’m a mechanic. Yes the brakes are either on or off, but you can get used to them, and a smooth stop can be achieved after relatively little time getting used to the vehicle. To be perfectly honest, most people on here sound like they just can’t drive. Gear selection problems? I’ve never come across a problem with the gears. The gate is quite close, so you have to be more accurate with where you’re sending the gear stick, otherwise it will get caught on the gate and not select, but that’s not a fault, that’s driver error. Most cars on relatively cold mornings have poorer first and second gear selection until the box warms up a bit. TIP: if you really want, before you move off, work the gearbox a little just hold the clutch in and go 1st to 5th/6th and back down a couple of times, it’ll soon loosen up. As for the gearbox being made of twigs and mud, that’s rubbish, the build quality overall is good, I’m not going to say its perfect, but it is good. Engines are pretty sound... They’re gutless because you’re driving a 1000cc car or you own a more powerful one and you’re not used to driving a low powered car but the 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.8 versions are available. The SR’s are reasonably pokey. Toyota doesn’t dictate what MPG you can get out of a car, the government do, they test all the cars and release the figures (for emissions and road tax purposes). The pedal recall is free and therefore shouldn’t affect the value of your car. Especially if everyone realised that firstly, it’s not a UK issue. Toyota is only recalling the cars in this country to put peoples minds at ease. Did anyone realise? Ford (in fact all GM vehicles), Citroen, Renault, Nissan; to name a few, all have the same pedal issue across some of their range because they use exactly the same pedals. In the last 5 years Toyota have had 4 or 5 recalls maybe? But did you know: Mercedes has had in excess of 40? BMW: 30 something; Ford: 30 odd; the list goes on, in fact Toyota has had the least out of all the major car manufacturers. I think with any vehicle you buy, someone’s going to find something to complain about, and it’s always the cars fault, no one ever thinks to look at the thing operating it - the driver. As a mechanic, it is so frustrating, and awkward, to have a customer complain that there is something is wrong with their car and when you drive it you can’t find anything to fault. 90% of the time it is down to the way the vehicle is driven. Chances are, if your mechanic tells you that something is wrong with your car, then there is, and if he/she tells you there isn’t, there probably isn’t. Could the squeaking noise which goes away when you open the drivers window, be the rubbers vibrating because there might be a slight gap that the wind is getting down? In which case try re-seating/replacing the rubbers. If the car is new get it done on warranty, if not it’s not a problem that affects lots of cars as I’ve never heard of this issue before. Penultimate Note: The main reason I bothered replying to this is because Toyota’s, on the whole, seem to be a reliable car. That is, I don’t really make any money out of them. Give me a Ford or a Renault, or better still, a Peugeot! if I had Peugeots all day every day, I’d be rich. Final Note: Yes, sometimes it is possible that you are unlucky, get a vehicle that is not quite up to standard and has escaped quality control because they’re mass produced. This goes for all mass-producing manufacturers. You can’t in my opinion write off a company because of one thing anyway, it would be like writing off a country because they didn’t win an Olympic gold in frog tossing or something. Toyota didn’t become one of the biggest, if not the biggest car manufacturer for no reason. Think about it. (Rated 4 stars due to how I find them to be, based on mechanical soundness, and for what they are -- a small city car for pottering around in. I think it does that pretty well? Since they weren’t really designed for long journeys).

Responses to this review

Totally agree Rob, exactly what I thought. Toyota haven’t got where they are today by making rubbish. I’m just about to get a Yaris 1.8 sr after many trouble free miles in my t.sport. If people want fuel economy buy another make, you save a fortune when you go everywhere in a breakdown truck! - Brett Carey from Sussex

I’d be interested to hear your comments on the Yaris 1.3 MMT. Unfortunately buying this Yaris is the biggest mistake I could have made as it loves to kangaroo/lurch very very frequently. Funny too that I’m blamed for this cars performance - Ann from Surrey

MMT cars are hard to drive smoothly. The theory behind them is good but in practise they don’t work so well. The thing to remember is that they’re not an automatic, they are a manual car with a fully manual gearbox, and so should be driven as one. Take your foot off the gas when you want to change gear, and it will. there’s a knack to driving them smoothly - Rob from England

Well, the "Take your foot off the gas when you want to change gear, and it will. ...", as suggested by Rob 1/4/2010, used to work in the first years we owned my wife’s 1.4 Yaris TD (MMT), but some time ago no amount of cajoling would persuade the car to shift up. This has somewhat dented our enthusiasm for the Yaris. We have also noted the same sort of sluggishness as mentioned by Hilary Shroff (10/06/09), although our Yaris has a petrol engine. My wife took the car in for a general service this morning and complained about the gearbox problem. The garage said that the gearbox needed re-initialisation (I suspect, a sort of re-booting of the electronics), and as it was a 1 1/2 hour job we agreed it would have to be another appointment. However I then asked the service manager why this re-initialisation was at all necessary after 3 years and 145,000 kms, and he suggested it is quite common (!) and to minimise this problem, the driver should always go N and brake when stopping in traffic. I pointed out there was nothing in the manual to suggest one should do so. Has anyone had this problem too, and should I buy this re-initialisation story, or is it a symptom of something more serious in the MMT gearbox / system? I’ve seen some threads complaining about shift problems even in manual mode of this gearbox - Zeppi from Malta

Spot on this report. Rob is 100 percent right on his comments. The average driver these days hasn’t much of a clue when it comes to vehicles and their ability to drive or recognise faults with them. If you buy a car with a small engine don’t expect GTi performance and listen as Rob says to people like him when it comes to what is mechanicaly right and wrong. As for the person complaining in one article about boot space they could have got something bigger. Simples - Mick Bennett from Yorkshire

I agree with Rob. I have been driving for 37 years and am now on my 3rd Yaris which is a 1.3 SR on a 57 plate. I have covered 34,000 miles. I have no problems with the gear box or clutch. Yes when it’s cold out it can be hard between 1st & 2nd gear but it doesn’t last long. Oddly my husband who has less driving experience, over-revs, stalls my car and blames the car/gearbox. I blame his bad driving. Strange I don’t have this issue - Liane Lee from Kent

Toyota Aygo 2009

I bought a new Aygo 2009 and had leaks in the boot. Toyota replaced door/window seals and I have been back 4 times now as whenever it rains the car is not safe to drive as the condensation on the windows is so extreme, within 5mins I can’t keep the windows clear. My last Aygo was also brand new and I had no problem, which is why I got an upgrade . Is it just luck of the draw? I intend to take it back as what’s the use of having a car that I can only drive 3months of the year, if that.

Responses to this review

I have just experienced the same EXTREME fogging up AFTER upgraded seals fitted and normal system did not clear screen.Try the AIR CON which did work quicker than normal ventilation/blower. It was dangerous as I was driving along NOT been able to see as normal system was not working - Linda Woolley from Worcestershire

Toyota Yaris 2009

Actually we had similar problem with gears. The clutch is hard when you want to press it. It is not possible to make a smooth gear change in the lowest gears and it makes roaring noise when you want to change gears. The clutch has to be pressed to the floor to get a smooth gear change in either reverse or second gear and even then it sometimes decides not to go in without several tries. Dealer said everything normal. I think anyone who wants to buy a Toyota Yaris should think about its changing gears.

Toyota Verso 2008

I’ve had my Verso 5 months 18,000 miles. I have problems with the clutch not clearing properly when the engine is cold. the dealers are in denial over this and say it’s normal? I don’t get anything like the MPG they say you should get. I had a headlight bulb blow after 3 months and you can only buy these at a dealer it seems and they cost £15.00 each. The Power Steering is faulty and as I type the car is at the dealers being repaired. The steering goes heavy without warning at all speeds, which is extremley disconcerting at 70mph on a motorway. I have just been told by the dealer that my oil level was dangerously low! the oil light hasn’t been coming on and its only been 8,000 miles since the last service! However, I am told by the dealer that oil consumption of 1ltr every 1000 miles is acceptable!!!!. Which means that between services you may have to add 10 litres of oil at over £10.00 a litre. Cant wait to get rid of this car.

Toyota Dyna 2003

As with other Dyna owners I have suffered electronic problems, which Toyota main dealers show no interest in solving as it is out of warranty.

Toyota Hiace 2003

I am due for a new one soon, now on my forth Hiace, this one is the 300 gs. I’ve just clocked 117,000, I’ve changed the oil and filter every 6000 and serviced it myself; I am a builder so it gets a lot of stick. These vans run like clockwork, I cannot wait for the next one.

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

I’ve had NO problems with my car since I got it about 2 years ago. I’ve had other Toyotas too. I am very pleased with the high level of customer service of Toyota and high quality of car. There is nothing wrong with Toyota. It is the best make of car. I have had plenty of other brands but always came back to Toyota and NEVER had any problem with any of my Toyotas. I had a Ford Fiesta one time and sparks flew out from the pedals. It was a fire risk and Ford are still making cars with fire risk recalls, mine was years ago, 1980’s to early 1990’s.

Responses to this review

Hi Pete, we are an independent market research agency and currently working on behalf of Toyota. We are looking to arrange an interview with a man aged 28 - 44, who owns a Yaris no more than 3 years old. If you live around the Surrey area and would like to take part in this research, which will take the form of a 90 minute face to interview at your home, you will receive £50 as a thank you. May I take this opportunity of assuring you that we abide by The Market Research Society Code of Conduct and that your participation will not result directly or indirectly in any form of selling. Kind regards, Louise Fernandez For and on behalf of Field Initiatives 020 8216 5652 - Louise Fernandez from England

Toyota Prius T-Spirit 2008

Very happy with this car. I live in a rural area but work takes me along motorways and into London and other urban areas, so really mixed driving. I average around 54 mpg or 500 miles to a tank, which I’m happy with. Love all the features on the T-Spirit: sat nav, park assist, cd changer, all of these make for the most trouble free driving I’ve experienced. Lots of room for passengers/dog in the back, and good boot space too. Love it!

Toyota Rav4 GX 1996

Great wee Jeep, done over 130k now, owned for 3 years and still going. On the road handles like a hot hatch and can go pretty fast. Engine is a bit thirsty, but there is some big tyres on it that probably help to drink the juice. Taken up rough tracks and off road on a regular basis, small and agile and can get places where I have seen fancier jeeps come a cropper. A wee beauty.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 SOL manual 6 speed 2009

Oh GOD! what a ridiculous car and what BIG mistake having bought one, why that day wasn’t I ill? Or probably I was to buy a Yaris as many reported here I must agree 100% that the clutch is a pain, the gearbox is crunchy and the dealers aren’t able to manage it (tried different). I’m trying to sell this c**ppy car but it’s almost impossible due to its very low valuation and the pedal recall no one wants to drive a Toyota any more, What a mistake! I’ll never buy a Toyota again in my life time and I would never recommend anyone to buy a c**ppy Toyota!

Responses to this review

Crunchy gears? You must be talking about a Chevrolet Matiz - Mary from Yorkshire

Toyota Aygo 2007

Bought Aygo (2007 model) in 2009. Kept saying that it smelt damp, but put down to the bad way in which the heating system clears the windscreen and that the windows are wet on the inside the majority of the time. Got in the back of the car the other week and guess what? Squelch, the floor was sodden. Taken car straight back to dealers and asked how that much water could be getting in the car. Mechanic said that it is a common fault it will be the door seal, "Said door seal looks fine, not corroded or anything" He just said he knows it is a common fault on this car. "THEN WHY DON’T TOYOTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?" I can’t afford a new car. Had to trade Vauxhall in due to common faults! Are we all just being ripped off?

Responses to this review

As I have seen many of you aren’t happy with the Aygo. Water leaks are generally common on the 5 door versions. If the car is in warranty all you need to do is have it rectified by your local dealer and if not it isn’t too costly to pay for. At the end of the day all cars of different makes and models have various faults (even Aston Martin’s with wiperblade motors). It is no good ranting on about how unhappy you are. Did anyone refuse to rectify the problem? No! I don’t work for Toyota but have bought an Aygo (never driven it) and came across this site whilst browsing, but don’t think this is as bad as you all are stating. At the end of the day the car is cheap and affordable and Toyota seems decent enough to help anyone with any faults so is there a problem? - Rob from Hampshire

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I bought this car in October 2009. Since then I must have been back to the dealer several times. The main problem is the gear change, and the ’revving’ noise it makes as you are changing gear. Toyota are insistent that this is ’normal’, but, having owned a 07 model prior to this, and have also owned loads of cars, I have never known revving as you are changing gears; it is more evident on the low gears, from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd etc. My husband has been on a test drive with an engineer, and the engineer insists this is ’normal’. I do not think this is right, but I have again taken it to the garage this morning because the drivers seat jammed in the far back position, and wouldn’t move, forcing me to have to drive with several cushions behind me. This wasn’t ideal as I have to drive 7 miles or so in this way, and also to the garage this morning, which is about 7 miles again. They again said there is nothing wrong with the engine, although the mechanism on the drivers seat needs a part. Also the car is always stalling, and as I have been driving for more than 20 years, I find this most annoying especially if you are in a traffic queue, and the lights change to red again because the car has again stalled. My husband also drives this car on a regular basis and he is suffering the same problems. I would never buy another Toyota, never mind another Yaris after all the problems I have been experiencing. I don’t agree the car is reasonably priced, and think it is expensive for what you get.

Responses to this review

I have to agree with you 100% I’ve had a 2010 Yaris hatchback for 3 days now, and my knee and hip are actually sore from using this clutch!!!!!!!I have stalled at least a dozen times when going into first gear, and I have been driving a manual for 20 years!!!! - Lee Haynee from Canada

I agree. I had a 2008 Yaris with same problem. The dealer said that there was no problem as the computer said so. I drove other Yaris’s with no problem and thought it was that particular car. Like a fool I bought a new one this year. I live on hills - it stalls regularly in 1st and reverse gear My bro who has worked with cars for 40 years even stalled it, he says the revs are too low/ not steady when stationary and eco not on and too much play on accelerator pedal It also over revs on gear change I will go to dealer but am sure they will say it is me and if their computer can’t find a fault there isn’t one. Will never buy another - Lynda Reddish from Lancashire

Toyota Yaris T-Sport 2005

I’ve been reading all the negatives and had to double check I wasn’t on the other vehicle makes page.I switched to Toyota 11yrs ago and have had 11yrs of trouble free motoring. I currently own a Yaris T-Sport which has given me 5yrs of no nonsence motoring. A fantastic little car by a fantastic manufacturer.

Responses to this review

I assume your Yaris, being a 2005 model, is the old car which was immeasureably better than the new one. Probably why you’re surprised by the negative comments! :-) - Martin from London

Brett, Good to see someone on this site has some sense. I have also had MANY YEARS of HAPPY driving in plenty of Toyotas over the years. I am currently driving a Yaris which is almost 2 years old and it is a great car, never gives me any problem. It is the best brand of car I ever had, I had other brands but always came back to Toyotas. My next car will be another Toyota - Louise from County Antrim

Sorry to disappoint folks, had 1.8 SR Yaris on 09 plate a couple of months now and guess what! Gears shift spot on, clutch no problems as yet, overall performance is fantastic, handling even better than t sport which i never thought possible. Over all great value for money to anyone looking for a fab looking car, anyone who isn’t getting a Citroen or Ford! Brett Carey from Sussex

Toyota Aygo 2009

Wish i had looked here before I bought one of these heaps of c**p for my girlfriend. The car has had all the problems listed previously. Water in the front footwell and ice and condensation on the windscreen. According to my Toyota dealership these problems are unique to me.... as I have now discovered this is obviously just a big fat lie. If anyone has managed to hand one back I would love to hear from you williamfreestone@thinkpositive.co.uk

Responses to this review

I have submitted photographs to a Customer Manager Jenny Shipley who has shown to Technical and they agree that this is not right this was some 3 weeks ago.I was advised that a FIELD Engineer was to look into my ICE PROBLEMS which happened again 20th + 21st Feb and 1st + 2nd March. I have submitted paperwork to the Ombudsman requesting replacement and/or compensation so that I can replace the car. I have asked Toyota Customer Services to look at this web site which they have. Keep going at the dealer plus Customer services plus Mr FONSECA and try Mr JON WILLIAMS saw in The Times that he is highest ranking Briton among Toyota UK executives. I am still fighting for what I thought I was buying a QUALITY CAR as advertised and sold to me - Linda from Worcestershire

Took home my brand new Aygo 1st march 2010. 2 weeks later footwells in an inch of water. After a week of hassle and writing letters I finally spoke to someone with some authority, the operations manager at the Toyota dealer. We spoke about the problem and about how badly I was treated and he agreed to take back the old car and has ordered me a brand new car, also some extras for the inconveniece! Progress at last! What ever you do, NEVER accept your car to be fixed first always go for a new car and stick at it! you will get what you want - Ami Jolliffe from Devon

Toyota Aygo Platinum 2009

My father was loaned a 2009 model Aygo courtesy car from a Toyota dealer in Woodford, Essex awaiting delivery of his order. This car leaked leaving puddles in the rear footwells. The dealer was asked to ensure that the actual Aygo purchased did not suffer from the same fault. A few days after delivery of the new car it rained and you guessed it....the rear footwells became damp. Regretfully the dealer refused to accept the car back and then denied that there ever was a leak effectively calling my father a liar. My father (a pensioner) did not want the hassle of legal action and was forced to accept a trade-in allowance for a more expensive car. It is apparent that Toyota are aware of endemic problems but will not make costly design changes to their products unless they get found out with a safety issue and publicity. Meanwhile, their franchise dealers are happy to pocket the income from in-guarantee labour claim back schemes. Buy another Toyota? I don’t think so!

Responses to this review

Damn. I purchased my Aygo from the Woodford Branch a few weeks ago. I sent the car into the garage this morning as I found a leak behind the drivers seat :( I cannot believe they can get away with ignoring so many complaints. If anyone has actually had their leak problem cured I would love to know - Mark from England

Aygo leaked through back door 3 lights vent s behind bumper rear wiper all fixed ok but they said lights were corroded - Derek Newland from Surrey

Toyota Aygo Black 2009

I bought a new Aygo in August 2009, everytime it rains the car is soaking wet inside. It’s been back to the dealer twice who have changed different seals. There seems to be no definitive Toyota ’fix’ to this problem, with dealers having their own suspicions and theories as to where the water is getting into the car and usually these aren’t the whole answer. This car was bought for my wife, I’ve owned 3 Toyota’s over the last few years and if this car doesn’t get sorted properly by Toyota it will certainly be the last thing I ever buy from them. If Toyota want to hang onto their reputation for bullet proof reliability and excellent after sales support they need find a definitive ’fix’ to the problem to the water leaks, call them all back to be retro fitted with the solution and apologise to all the customers that have been affected. I don’t accept that just because its a cheap car we should accept poor quality.

Responses to this review

UPDATE: 2009 Aygo Black, 3 door. Our Aygo has been back to the dealer twice , the first time didn’t fix the problem but happily the 2nd fix seems to have worked (fingers crossed.) Apart from the leaking door seals the Aygo has behaved brilliantly and is a joy to own and drive. Fuel economy is superb , cruises happily around town or on the motorway. Looks great , We’ve fallen back in love with the car , just hoping that the winter doesn’t ruin our new found happiness. Toyota dealer was very good and although the 1st fix didn’t resolve the problem , the car was quickly taken back and the problem sorted. Thats all for now , keep you posted... - Joe Harvey from Oxfordshire

Toyota Yaris 1.3 sr 2008

I bought this car with 10K on the clock from a main dealer a month ago. I am having a lot of trouble with the clutch juddering and it seems to vary. I also cannot get used to the brakes, they seem to be either on or off and the gear box is very difficult especially when cold, I cannot get into first gear and second gear is very hard. I am worried that the reports about quality are true. I have had Toyotas before but this is the worst one and I wish I had not bought it. Knowing what I know now I would no longer recommend Toyotas.

Toyota Yaris 1.4 diesel sr 2007

Fab little car, minor gripe is boot shelf not fixed very well. The car is 3yrs old, no problems at all tyres and servicing only, 50mpg 65 if nursed.

Responses to this review

My Yaris is a fantastic car too - Mark from England

I have owned my diesel for two years now. Bought it with 8,000 miles on the clock. No trouble at all so far, routine servicing tyres and brake pads. Love driving it, vey economical on a long run, around 65mpg. One of the best cars I have had and would definitely consider another when the time comes to change it. Eleanor Macdonald from Staffordshire

Toyota Yaris T-spirit 2006

I just thought I’d have a gander at the Yaris problems because I’ve been having issues with my Yaris T-spirit 1.3 (2006). I’ve driven Vauxhall Corsas, Ford Focuses, Nissan Micras, Mitsubishi Spacewagons... but none of them have had the same problems as this car. Summary of problems: Problems changing gear between 1st and 2nd gear when the car is cold; 1st to 2nd gear change needs to be done really early; Pretty sharp breaks which take alot of time to get used to; Pedals high therefore ankles will ache after long journeys; ridiculously bouncy ride. I can’t recommend this car and I’m considering taking this car in to get something else. My biggest gripe is the change from 1st to 2nd - its pretty dangerous because it makes my acceleration pattern inconsistent - thus sometimes forcing cars behind me to slow down! I just had a service recently where they changed the gearbox oils - presumably they’ve swapped it with something which is less viscous when its cold. It may have worked - but I had to pay 90 GBP to get it done... and looking at this site, it seems like its a semi-common occurance! In case you’re wondering why I bought the car if I think so badly of it - well I bought it from my brother at discount... Now I’m going to do much more research when I get a new car!

Toyota Yaris SR 1.3 2008

I absolutely agree with all the negative comments here, I think the Yaris is probably the worst car on the road and is certainly over rated by anyone who likes it. It is about time Toyota listened to the numerous problems and dealt with them instead of denying there are problems. I thought my Yaris was going to be nice to own but instead I wish I had never even set eyes on it. Also in response to a previous comment it definitely is too high for its width....what was I thinking of when I bought it. A truly dreadful car on nearly every point, do not buy a Yaris....Simples!

Responses to this review

Pat, I have to disagree with you. The WORST car on the road is a Chevrolet. I had a Chevrolet Matiz and it was a heap of dirt, it was brand new but I only kept it for a year, then I got rid of it and got another Yaris. It was a good choice, I am now 100% happy with my Yaris. I will always be sticking with Toyotas as I like to drive a good quality car - Peter from London

Toyota Aygo 2005

GROUNDHOG DAY!!!!! The car leaked and leaked. And still does as I sit here and write this, Feb 2010. 5th yearof leakage! Since I bought it in 2005, it has leaked every year. I believe on the last count, it had been back to the garage 7 times. Every time they refit a new seal - nothing seems to have fixed the problem. Last year, I got Toyota GB involved, they part-paid for new carpets and new seals (damp cars smell really badly) I thought we’d sorted the problem but this winter exposed the poor little car again. There is obviously something seriously wrong with this model. More worryingly, the dealers don’t seem to have an answer. Note to mention that I also had a faulty tailgate and the exhaust seems to rattle around quite a lot. In fact to dat, I’ve had 2 new boxes and 2 new exhausts and the cars done just about 30k miles. I would advise anyone thinking of buying this car to look at other alternatives. FIAT Panda etc. If things do go wrong, the warranty isn’t brilliant. Such a shame as the concept of the car is brilliant.

Responses to this review

I hope this helps every Aygo owner with the well-reported water leaks. After having the 2007 5-door Aygo for a couple of years without problems, I noticed lots of water in the rear offsie footwell, as well as a slightly wet nearside back seat .On my first reporting the problem to my local Toyota dealer, they replaced all the door seals, then roof seals (not sure exactly what or where these are) a few weeks later when they had them in stock. I thought all had been fixed, but a few weeks later, lots of water appeared in same places again. Also, windows were steaming up a lot and at one point a few drops of water came through the interior light fitting. At first I though the latter was maybe condensation dropping down. However, on leaving the car with the local dealer again, they did find the source of the ’main’ leak. The water had been getting into the roof lining from a bad seal on the high-level brake-light. From there, the water was pouring into the inside of the car at various points, probably depending on the slope of the land and when I was driving or parked. Anyway, the roof lining and high-level brake light fitting were completely replaced and the problem seemed to have been fixed at last. There still remained one leak, which was coming in to the boot from the rear nearside light fitting. It appears that all the rear light fittings have a very flimsy seal, which wears out very quicky. Apparently, the more often the car is cleaned, the sooner the seals will wear out and the sooner the inside of the car will start to get wet. I had no further problems, other than the relatively minor leak into boot, which I ignored as I was fed up at that point. Other than the water leaks and a few other relatively minor issues (e.g. a clip dropped off the gears resulting in only being able to select 1st third and fifth gears) which were fixed under warranty, I was happy with the Aygo After reading various reviews on cars in the Aygo category, I recently swapped the Aygo for a new Suzuki Alto SZ3, which I find at least matches the AYGO in all departments. I hope this report helps other Aygo owners - Stevie Wonder from Lancashire

Toyota Yaris T2 2010

I have to admit, I don’t own a Yaris. Normally drive a 2005 Celica which is an absolutely cracking car, but when in for service I was given a Yaris 1.0 litre to drive for a few days. It has got to me so much, that I’ve had to come and write about it. This is the worst car I have driven EVER and I have driven a lot of cars over the years. Seriously, I’ve even driven a Citroen C1 as courtesy car and even though it was not brilliant by any means at least it didn’t pretend to be anything special, just a form of transport. Where do I start with the Yaris? Has to be the brakes - what is going on here?! There is absolutely no progression or feel in the pedal at all, they are either on or off. Trying to come to a smooth stop in traffic is near impossible, I’ve tried, really tried, to very gently tap the pedal... And subsequently found my nose in the steering wheel. The engine is a gutless wonder and should be illegal on the motorway. Trying to join fast moving traffic is a nightmare. I change down a couple of gears, mash the accelerator into the carpet and there is no discernable increase in speed. More noise, but no more speed. By the time it eventually does get up to a decent pace, you have an enormous queue of traffic in your rear view mirror. Gear change is rubbish, it just feels so woolly. Although it goes into gear ok, it never feels precise or mechanical. I’d be surprised if the gearbox isn’t made of twigs and mud. And the rest: steering feel is awful (way too light), handling is almost terrifying, build quality is rubbish (the car I’m driving is only a few months old but rattles like a fridge falling down some stairs) and the pedal positions are poorly considered - I almost always have aching ankles after driving it after having to hold my feet in awkward positions. Boot is non-existent, dashboard layout frustrating and to finish off it just looks rubbish. Why is it so tall?! All in all a massive thumbs down and I’ve only spent three days driving it. I’m certain there are better superminis out there than this. A vintage Toyota Starlet for one!

Toyota Yaris 1.3 2009

I drove a little Aygo for just under 3 years. I loved it, a great little car, so when it came to the time for a change I went for a Yaris thinking I would be upgrading (I think you know whats coming!) So far as space,comfort and trim level, the Yaris is an improvement on the Aygo, but that’s to be expected. I didn’t, however, expect annoying little sqeaks from somewhere I can’t identify, except to say it stops if I open the drivers window slightly. The seats are OK, but I find that I’m either too far away from the steering wheel or on top of it, and I’m just a regular 5"9’ tall. There’s a fair bit of storage space in the cabin, which is a plus, but the fit and quality of the storage lids is poor. I have a 1.3l engine model. I find that 1st gear is far too short, and 4th gear difficult to select. 6th gear can only be used economically on the flat and down hill. Try to keep up with the traffic on even a slight incline in 6th and watch that MPG display plummet. I try to drive mine carefully, and on a 20 mile commute to work, I’m averaging between 45 and 49 MPG, which it appears from reading some comments here is not bad, but dissapointingly way off the 67MPG that Toyota promote. Infact so much so that I was begining to wonder if there was something wrong with my engine. I also find that I’m having to hold the steering wheel slightly (but enough to be annoying) to the right to keep it in a straight line. I took it back to my Toyota dealer and was told that an engineer had road tested it and that the gear selection was a bit "stiff" and had been adjusted, and that the steering was fine and that it was probably the camber of the roads causing me to have to hook it right all the time. He managed to test drive it and manouver it around their site and only put 2/10 mile on the clock. Great test drive he must’ve given it! Even the little Aygo didn’t have to be hooked right because of road camber. Now I can hear the brakes rubbing, after 7800 miles. I also have the same problems mentioned by others regarding the Eco system, that worked fine for a start, but I can’t remember the last time it DID work. I also have the heater problem. A cold breeze can be felt coming from somewhere, even with the heater on full. At low speeds the brakes catch me out by biting, but at all other times they feel OK, although I’ve not done a lot of motorway driving in the Yaris. I’ve been driving for 22 years and it’s taken me 7 months to learn how to drive this car, and I still stall it occasionally. I should have saved my money and got another Aygo, they really are "Cheap n Cheerful" and great fun for it, the Yaris is, sadly, only "OK n OK" at the very best.

Responses to this review

Having read this review it was uncanny as to how similar this experience is to mine. I have driven the Yaris since it was launched and never had any trouble, then my S.R when it was 18 months old broke down and my new car (Oct 2009) has all the same problems as this review. The Dealer has done nothing saying they can’t find anything wrong, yet 4th gear is a nightmare, reverse is very hard work and 1st gear has a life of its own. Similar problems with the brakes and the rattles, not to mention the 3 recalls over the last 18 months, even the interior looks dated. After the car breaking down last year I had planned to swap to Mazda but decided to keep with Toyota, what a bad move! I have been driving for 28 years and have always driven Toyota cars but never again. If you are thinking about it don’t do it! - Liz Egan from Lancashire
    
   

Toyota Hiace 2.4 swb 1996

I’ve had this van three years and when I bought it, it was a bit shook up. Thinking if I got the year out of it I’d be doing well but that wasn’t the case. There is no killing this machine. It will go forever. There is nothing it can’t pull or carry. If it doesn’t fit inside the van it will go on top on the roof rack. I have carried tons of timber on the roof rack. It has a good pickup for speed. I can’t fault the Hiace. When I’m not working with the van I’m driving the Toyota Avensis on evenings and weekends. Toyota all round is by far the best built car in the world.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I will continue to update information as my experience and opinion with the car change. New stuff to report. Water is a huge issue with the design of this car. I mentioned earlier about trapped water due to excessive condensation. I now notice that water gets trapped on the bottom of the door jam. It’s not a little bit of water either, it’s a whole lot. The water never enters the car interior,it just remains trapped leaving oone to worry about future rust.I suspect this water issue had a lot to do with my not being able to unlock my doors during to cold winter days without the help of graphite oil in the key hole (the wife has the only remote control key). I really like driving this car a lot, and what surprises me is that this is truer now than when I first purchased it. Yes the car has some issues,and I get the feeling that quality was not a top priority with this Toyota as would have been with previous models, but it really feels good to drive. We are of course talking about a price catagory so lets not get carried away. In my moments of doubt, I decided to go back and test drive the competition once again. I drove a variety of cars,all with either the 1.2,or the 1.4 engines. I seriously considered selling the car in my moments of winter frustration. None of the cars felt as good to drive in the under 120 kmh range,while a few were as good in the higher ranges. The third gear is very long,and the power delivers the promised horsepower. Fourth and fifth gears do very well too, the sixth gear a little disapointing in power. At lower speeds this car wants to please you badly. It does almost everything right including taking sharp turns. I am not too happy about the brakes, they tend to bite in a strange way at lower speeds,but at higher speeds they feel normal. My hope is that this car with its European driving characteristics will perform like a Japanese car when it comes to reliability. My German car driving neighbours have greatly enjoyed watching the latest news on Toyota’s troubles. I can no longer drive down the street with that smug I outsmarted you look on my face.

Responses to this review

Hello again, it’s time for a follow up. I noticed that many are unhappy with the car, I understand many of the complaints but some seem a bit exaggerated. Yes the gears are a bit " crunchy ",at least the first two gears are. The clutch seems to do well,I have spoken to other Yaris owners around town and they all seem to like the car, but some do have minor complaints. The biggest complaint I hear has to do with the almost non-existent start-stop system. During the winter months my own experience has been that this start-stop completely fails to deploy. Now that it is getting warmer the system seems to work but only on occasion. The engine on my Yaris has opened up a bit and I am very happy with the performance. Previously I wrote about the lack of power at high speeds but this seems to be changing. Last week I took a trip on the autobahn lasting some three hours with my family in tow. I averaged 160KPH but had a little difficulty bringing her to 175 KPH. In my previous trip some three months ago the car struggled getting past 165 fully loaded. The low gear grinding seems to have gone away, or I am getting used to shifting. I can’t escape the feeling, however, that this car is at best average quality in build. Looking closely at the gaps between the plastic one can see several areas of uneven spacing. The car did stall once at traffic lights due to my poor use of the clutch and it required several attempts with the key before it would start up again. The process was very frustrating and unusual given the modern ignition system. I very much like driving this car, the steering is very light at low speeds but responds well at higher speeds. I like having a light steering response in the city, it makes for less driving fatigue and parking made easy. My three start rating remains firm, this car has excellent points and some not so excellent. A quality Toyota this is not. What we have is an attempt by Toyota to expand further into the European market with a very European feeling automobile. Profits seem to have gotten in the way of quality. I will only be adding further should parts need replacing. I will write and let you know what was replaced, at what kilometer stand and total costs involved. Have a great day - Stephan from Germany

Toyota Prius T3 2005

I recently told of how my Prius was returning 43 mpg on very short runs and in very cold weather which I thought was good, but over the last week or so I have learnt that by driving the car in a different way has improved my mpg by 4mpg urban driving. At the start I used to drive the vehicle as slowly as I could but I found driving this way drained the battery much faster bringing the engine in to play much quicker, but now accelerating up to speed much faster then just feathering the accelerator has increased my mpg. I believe driving this way keeps my battery charged up more which in turn helps the engine more, but even more impressive was my first real run out in the car of a 45 mile round trip with 4 adults in 67 mpg it returned, which I never thought I would see but it proves that with the right kind of driving under the right conditions Toyota’s figures are possible. The journey consisted of dual carriage ways country roads and some stop starts through a small town. I hope this was helpful.

Toyota Hilux Surf SSR-X 2.4TDI Manual 1992

Not a bad motor really, drove well, needed a 6th gear, 5th gear wasn’t tall enough. Mine was a slightly rare modified jap import though, so it had a high-flow full-through exhaust, 5" backbox. Induction kit, boost was increased, noisy wastegate etc. Buy a 90’s landcruiser amazon 4.2 V8 instead. Beast.

Toyota Aygo 2009

Best advice - don’t buy an Aygo. Bought the car new for my wife and took delivery in October. initially very happy until about 1 week after when front and rear offside footwells soaked with water. Went into garage; this was the first of 4 visits. On 2nd visit they put stupid rubber roof seals on that my son pulled off within seconds; they said they were not aware of any leaking Aygos as all customers were very happy with the cars. 3rd visit they kept it for close to 3 weeks and was only repaired after I phoned up constantly. 4th visit to garage because plastic panels were falling off; they said it was a manufacturing fault and the clips that held the panels on could not be repaired. They said the fault with the leaks was due to faulty speaker seals. I can only sum up by using the word SCRAP. Think carefully about this purchase.

Responses to this review

Alan, I sympathise. I too have the same problem. Mine’s been back 7 or 8 times. So many I can’t remember. I have started a blog - http://aygoaggro.blogspot.com. I’m using it to try and get Toyota to accept some kind of repsonsibility - George Beverley from Dorset

Hi Alan, I’m going through the same thing, bought mine new in August, the problems with your Aygo are the same as mine - Joe Harvey from Oxfordshire

I have just left my Aygo Blue 08 with Toyota again re major leakages; door seals already replaced, what a load of rubbish. Bought this car for the school run and I am refusing to take it back. I await  phone call from the manager, in the meantime I have their Yaris courtesy car, which I may hide somewhere until I get refund!!! Toyota make me sick, I am furious - Rachel Dalton from Kent

Toyota Hiace 95 d4d 2007

I have had this van since 2007 it has done a very hard 117000 miles since being with me and it has never missed a beat. It has been serviced every 10,000 miles and has not broken down once. The engine is very strong it doesn’t do too bad with mpg either. Now for the bits I find let the van down a little: The noise from the outside when travelling at motorway speeds is quite loud and I sometimes find it difficult to hear the hands free for my mobile phone unless i slow down to 55 mph; The seats get little bit uncomfortable if on a very long journey as I liked to have my legs stretched and the rear of the seat tipped quite far back. If you don’t have any weight in the back when the roads are snowy or icy it tends to get a bit frisky or will struggle to manage even the slightest incline, which can be very frustrating. And finally I think it could do with a larger fuel tank as they only have a 60l capacity. All in all This has been a very reliable strong workhorse and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone (With a set of snow chains handy). If maintained and serviced regulary you will end up with a very reliable van.

Responses to this review

Any rear wheel drive will struggle empty on slippery surfaces. The fuel tank should be 75 as mine - Ian Munter from Cornwall

Can you get sheets of 8x4 ply in this van? - Jay from Surrey

Toyota Aygo Aygo Blue 2009

Will try and keep this short as possible!! Took delivery of my leased Aygo on the 23rd November 09. TWO DAYS later I had about 4 inches of water in the rear passenger footwell. Went to my local dealership to be told by a sales advisor that this was a common fault!!! HORRIFIED. Could not provide me with a courtesy car untill the 7th dec. Came home and read the previous reviews and was gutted that I’d chosen it. By the 29th had water slopping around in both rear footwells. After numerous phone calls to the main dealership and the very helpful James from Leaseplan,a hire car was provided and the car went in for repair!! My dad went down to view the stripped car. The "problem" it seems is the manifolds under the internal door frame. You could have fitted your fist through it!! These were replaced along with the carpets which i INSISTED upon. TOYOTA need to act and sort out this persistent problem, along with the others that are now apparent (only automatics are affected in the Aygo.) I’ve told everyone I have dealt with to read the reviews on here, and family/friends to be wary of what they buy!! No more leaks so far, but I don’t hold much hope . Apart from water and now condensation it’s a nippy little car.

Responses to this review

Don’t hold your breath, my Aygo is booked in next week for the 6th time since owing it from new (September 08) for water problems in both front wells. Thought the problem had been fixed the last time in April but it is now just as wet; freezes and steams up inside all the time it’s like driving in a wet box and is now beginning to smell like a damp sponge. Toyota are well aware of the problem but just in denial! Service Manager has informed me today that yet another modification was issued in October to solve the problem. Do I believe him? In a word NO! Now because of the other problems I can’t get a decent trade in price - Ed from Nottinghamshire

I have a 2008 Aygo, from November 2008 I had the ICE on the inside of the front screen, which came back again November 2009. This is due to excess moisture/condensation getting into the car. With mine they cannot find out how the water is getting in so have said I should use my Air Con for 30 minutes once a week. I do not accept that I should manage a sub standard, not fit for purpose car and am fighting with Toyota. Try Consumer Direct for advice, I found them very good and keep going back and back to you garage the give them a last chance to sort out, if not you may have some legal recall - Linda from Worcestershire

Toyota Yaris 2008

I wish I had read these reports before I bought my Yaris, it has been a total mess from the day I bought it. Everything I have read I can relate to and now they are recalling so many cars because of the accelerator sticking makes me wonder what else could go wrong. I should have stuck with my reliable Clio, never had any issues with it apart from wear and tear. People need a reality check, Toyotas are no longer what they used to be. Do not buy a Toyota Yaris if you want a car that is good to drive and own.

Responses to this review

You don’t know as much as you think about recalls, Ford had a bigger recall recently. Every brand that was ever made has had recalls. So you like Renault, so you think they never had a recall? - Jo from England

Congratulations! You found a reliable Renault?! Steve Den from England

Toyota Land Cruiser 1996

Brilliant family bus. Throw everything into it, suitcases, dogs, kids, etc. Never fails me. Huge machine with turbo to leave them standing. 230000 miles on clock and will go the same again. Great off-roader and brilliant in the snow and ice we’ve been getting lately.

Toyota Aygo 3 dr 2009

Water leaks into the footwells. Horror! Thanks to these reveiws I hit the dealership running and there was no debate. Had a hire car and my Aygo was returned within 2 days. BUT it is far from clear what was done to the car as I had a different story from everyone I spoke to at the dealership/service area. The is no sign of damp or condensation and it has been cold and wet since the "fix" so fingers crossed. The big question remains is why has Toyota not fixed this problem at the factory? The company is held up as world leader in "continuous improvement" "best practice" etc, etc., yet this very serioius problem appears to have been ongoing for years! Big black mark Toyota and as for the sticky accelerator pedals..???

Responses to this review

My ’fix’ lasted 6 months and the problem is now just a bad as before - Ed from Nottinghamshire

Toyota Hiace d4d 2002

I bought this van 8 years ago new and have had no problems whatsoever. I’ve done 100,000 miles and it’s as good now as the day it was made. I personally would not buy any other type of van. PERFECT.

Toyota Yaris Verso Manual GLS 2002

This is the most amazing little ’big’ car! We have owned it since new and it’s now on 190,000 miles! Maintenance has been cheap; serviced at regular intervals and that’s about it! So it’s not pretty, but who cares. What it lacks in looks it gains in versatility. We’ve driven to the south of France several times, visited the local tip with huge amounts of garden rubbish and travelled to work it in our reliable ’Verity’!! It’s been called other names; Postman Pat’s Hearse, the bread van etc, etc.,but everyone loves it when they need something large transporting. My biggest disappointment is that Toyota stopped making them in 2006 or we’d be looking to buy a new one!

Toyota Corolla Verso 1.8vvti t3 manual 2005

I bought this car from new in 2005 and it has been an excellent and reliable family car offering good handling and plenty of internal room. That was until last Friday when at 4yrs and 6 mth old (62k mileage) the gearbox ceased on me in the middle of our high street. I have serviced this car from new with a Toyota Dealer and my driving consists of regular commutes to work with no towing what so ever and would expect the gearbox to last considerably longer than 4yrs. On review it would appear that it is not an isolated incident and there are several other verso owners with manual boxs that have had similar gearbox problems at around the 50-60k mark. I’m awaiting what Toyota Customer Services will do for me and will keep you posted.

Toyota Prius T3 2005

I bought this car in December 2009, just as the ice and snow arrived. Most of my trips are short just 2 to 5 miles at a time and even with the temperature as low as 0 to -5 for 4 weeks I still averaged 43 mpg ,so in the summer should be close to 50 mpg. This is 16 mpg better than my 1.4 corolla averaged in past winters even with warmer temperatures.

Toyota Aygo 2007

Mine leaks as does my next door neighbours and my friends went back to the dealer within 10 days of getting it. I have heard of the leaks comming from door seals, rear high vis light, dirt caught in rear windscreen seal, faulty or missing rubber seals in boot and under rear passenger carpet. My advice and it wont be everyones cup of tea(Toyota warranty is not worth the paper its printed on) Clean and remove the rubber seals then refit with a touch of silicone on them. Same for door seals and the high vis tail light. Buy some febreeze for the stink...

Toyota Picnic 2005

I purchased my second hand Picnic, without ever having heard of it previously, on the advice of the salesman. How glad I am. It’s comfortable easy to drive(automatic). So far it has given no trouble at all so it’s cheap to run. It’s the six seater but I use it with the two back seats removed, which affords plenty of boot space, but when I have extra passengers it’s easy to re-install them. At my age I doubt I’ll need another car but if I did I’d buy a new Picnic. Pity they don’t make them! They are ideal for every sort of journey and living in the country they allow you to see over the hedges. In town they’re good for the all round vision and easy to park. Funny thing; you don’t see many around.

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

I could not disagree more with Alex E of Oxfordshire about the Toyota Yaris. Having owned a few Toyotas in the past and been very pleased with them, driving about 200K a year I have never been so disgusted by any other make of car since having the Yaris...and I have driven just about every make and model there is. What has happened to the quality of build and materials? The brakes and clutch are terrible, it is near impossible to make a smooth gear change in the lowest gears and the brakes are dangerously snatchy and what is that roaring noise? It sounds like the pads are covered in rust. Why can I hear the gear linkage clonking? I have a Yaris 1.3 which is 2 years old and it is full of rattles, the engine is weak and makes odd noises especially when cold. The ride is wobbly and the car seems to bounce over the slightest uneven surfaces. The boot and rear seats may be adjustable but the rear shelf kind of just sits there, there is no proper fixing. The internal plastics seem to scuff very easily. The pedals all seem far too high, on long journeys I find my ankles ache as I am having to hold my feet up. There is nothing nice about this car unless you are deaf, dumb and blind. I am glad that reading other posts, I am not the only person who thinks the Yaris is a complete LEMON. The quicker I get rid of it the better. If anyone things the Toyota Yaris is a good car, THINK AGAIN!

Responses to this review

Paul, you said if anyone thinks the Yaris is a good car should think again. I took your advice and after ’thinking again’ I still find that that my LOVELY Yaris is the perfect car, it never gives me any problem. The Toyotas I had before were high quality as is the one I have now. My brakes and clutch are perfect, I always have a smooth gear change. My brakes are never scratchy. I have no roaring noise or clonking in my car. My Yaris is the same age as yours but no problems. It has no rattles, the engine is fine and it makes no odd noises. It is never bumpy. There is a proper fixing for the rear shelf. The internal plastics do not scuff at all. The pedals not too high, try adjsuting your seat. Everything is nice , (in fact fantastic )about this car and I am not deaf, dumb or blind. My next car WILL be a TOYOTA YARIS! - Joe from England

Toyota Aygo 2008

Yet again November 2009 when temparatures drop I have ice plus condensation on the inside of the front screen. The dealer has had the car in but cannot find any leaks for the moisture to get into the car. The only suggestion from Toyota Technical is to drive through the winter months with the air con on. Not acceptable proves a fault with the car, which I will be pursuing. I also have the Iced front screen this year AND last year. The dealer has tested the car and found NO LEAKS or wet places in my car and returned the car to me WITH THE PROBLEM UNRESOLVED. I am very unhappy that a BRAND NEW car under warrenty HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED and was returned to me with just as much condenstation on the front screen as ever. The Service Manager actually drove the car from the rear of their garage for my collection with 50% of the front screen covered in moisture and DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. When I challenged this would not own up to accept that this was NOT RIGHT. Why do they not accept, Yes there is a fault lets sort it out properly and not let the customer SUFFER anymore.

Responses to this review

Keep on at your Toyota Service Centre. This is the first winter that I have been through with my two year old Aygo and I have had EXACTLY the same problem with condensation and ice incide the car. It’s just been in for its service to Toyota and I asked them to investigate the issue. I kicked up a huge fuss when they rang me prior to returning the car and told me that they had checked it for water leaks and found nothing wrong with it and dismissed the problem. After I told them that I that I was not prepared to put up with that explanation and it was unacceptable, I was put on hold until he came back and told me that actually there IS a problem with condensation with some Aygos and some new parts for modification have been produced to install into those affected cars - something to do with the seals, headlights etc apparently. The man said that Toyota have not issued a recall as "most but not all Aygos were affected and there were too many to do at once"!! My car has now been rebooked in for what I’ve been told is a minimum of two days for tests and for installation of the parts to (hopefully) fix the problem. I can’t believe that if I had not pursued it they would have just let the problem continue whilst knowing full well that there are modifications to the car that can be made! No doubt waiting for the warranty to expire..- Janine Daniel from London

Hi Linda, Have you got any further with Toyota regarding this? I bought my new Aygo blue in Sept 08 and have had almost identical problems to you. I too find it completely unacceptable that they are suggesting using the air con to ’cope’ with the problem. My car is going back to the dealership on Monday and I’ve insisted that they keep the car for the whole week. This will be the third time they have had the car to try and resolve the problem. I’m seriously considering handing the car back to them as it becoming a right pain to live with. The service manager tried to suggest that I was the problem saying that maybe I’d put the moisture in the car by getting in it with wet clothes!! Looking around the internet it seems this is a common problem. I’d be grateful if you could update this site if your dealership manage to fix the problem as it’s driving me crazy!! Good Luck! :-) - Vikki from Wiltshire

Update on my Condensation/ Ice Problems: I have been told to remove rubber mats and have the Air Con on for 30 minutes once a week.This is not acceptable and as I bought the car via Toyota Finance they are my supplier of goods.Consumer Direct referred my case to trading Standards who advised that my next step was to put my case to the Financial Ombudsman which I am in the process od doing. I write to the CEO of Toyota Europe but reply was all take of customer satisfaction and no help or action.May try Mr Fonseca with copies of all the more recent problems every one is having. I have Emailed Watchdog/Dom Littlewood + ITVnews but no replies to date. My Email address is linda.woolley@talktalk.net I will collate matters as I agree Toyota whould NOT get away with sub standard product that we have invested good money in which also affect future value. Do you have Free Legal advice under you Householders Insurance policy ? This may cover solicitors cost as a car is covered under the sale of goods act.Mine does give cover for both but when the Ombudsman is involved solicitor not required unless you disagree with his ruling. Hope the above helps. Please report Aygo problems to Mr Fonseca, his secretary is CAROL CRAWLEY TEL:01737 363633. I have left a message saying that I want our problems looked into at a higher level and have referred Toyota to this web site to see all your problems with THEIR SUB-STANDARD CARS. I am awaiting their telephone reply - Linda Woolley from Worcestershire

I too have the same problem. I bought my car 3 weeks ago itis a 2010 and my foot wells are full of water. I am taking my car up to my dearlership tomorrow along with all the problem reviews I have printed out, hopefully to have it resolved, but from the reviews I have read I feel like I just want to give it back. Obviously it will not just be that simple as it is on finance like many others. It’s such a shame, I really loved this car until now - Ami Jolliffe

Car on/under FINANCE gives extra help from The Ombudsman as the Finance company are the actual PROVIDER OF THE GOODS NOT the garage and/or Toyota. Speak to Consumer Direct for advice stating that the car bought under Finance. The Ombudsman is now involved with my claim for the vehicle of Not Satisfactory Quality and/or Not Fit For Purpose. Also involve Toyota Customer Services MANAGER and /or letter to Mr Fonseca. Hope this helps - Linda from Worcestershirefrom Devon

I have had great progress. After a nightmare at the dealer to begin with I stuck at my guns to get a brand new blue Aygo. After 5 days of feeling miserable and having to deal with this hassle I NOW HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR ON IT’S WAY TO ME!! YAY!! NEVER accept for your car to be fixed if it is new especially if it is under 28 days that you have had it, as trading standards told me if it went to court they would have no leg to stand on as it is faulty goods. Remember to take your car in and get a courtesy car, but don’t let them fob you off they will always have one for new customers no matter what! I have a test drive car at the moment and won’t give it back until they order you a new one! Ami Jolliffe from Devon

Continued: I have collected my new car. Finally had some good service. I had a brand new 2010 model, my service plan for the next three years is free of charge, a full tank of petrol and another bunch of flowers. Lets just hope it doesn’t happen again!! It will be far too embaressing for them if it did!! - Ami Jolliffe from Devon

UPDATE on my ICE/Condensation problems.Upgraded rubber SEALS FITTED 6th April we have just had first rain/wet conditions drove my car down slight downhill slope with right hand turn and WATER POURED INTO CAR FROM PASSENGER SIDE DOOR.Have not tested the some turning left yet. CONFIRMS THAT UPGRADED SEALS DO NOT WORK. My car is WORSE THAN BEFORE. Toyota Engineer to carry out Inspection following the work carried out on the 6th April; if they carry out tests with CAR FLAT WILL NOT SHOW WATER INGRESS I have now discovered. Not sure if any of this will help others. My case is in the hands of The Ombudsman and I will now reject car as I have given Toyota plenty of time in fact two years to provide me with a car fit for purposes and THEY HAVE NOT - Linda from Worcestershire

Hya, we have had the same problem with my mother’s car, it went in 1st time and we were told the leak was coming in from the speakers, which they fixed and said they had changed the carpets. After the extremely strong glue smell had subsided we ended up with an even worse level of condensation on all of the windows, which now in this very bad weather has frozen up. When we took the car back in we were told there is no leak that they can find and if we still want them to look into it then they will strip the car and charge her £65 per hour and it could take a full day of work and they may still not find anything! I’m strongly thinking of going to Watchdog or the ombudsman! Kelly Jones from Neath Port Talbot

Toyota Corolla Verso MMT T spirit 2004

What a waste of hard earned money! Bought new with extras with view of reliability & durability. I was conned and made to believe it works like an automatic by the salesmen at the showroom, however, less than 3 months later I’ve had countless problems with the MMT gearbox followed by recalls i.e., safety air bags etc. ’Til now, no Joy despite recent recall,the car has been back to the garage twice within 6 weeks with the same problem while, some of the staff at the service dept. were very rude & unapproachable at any attempts to get through for assistance. Toyota has now burst the bubble, I’ve counted & accept my loss, as it’s shameful & very dangerous stalling to N on a motorway daily. I,m now searching for a new reliable family car, definitely not Toyota group.

Toyota Hiace 1997

I’ve had my powervan nearly 8 years - easy to service myself. The bodywork is unmarked, you won’t find many other vans as strong. The van in front is definailey a Toyota.

Toyota Yaris TR 2007

This is a fab ’little’ car and ours has been far more reliable than my Boxster S. While the Yaris is my wife’s car it is the one I choose for popping to the shops for both ease of parking and load carrying capacity. In September we took a trip to the Lakes and our TR (1.3) coped well with four adults and our rather large Tibetan mastiff when driving up and down the back roads between lakes. We’ve been amazed at the load carrying capacity as the back seats can be independently slid forward or folded flat as needed. The boot floor can also be lowered to give a deeper boot for carrying plants or my tuba for band practice. In terms of performance, this is not my Porsche but it has enough oomph for the daily commute and with the optional lowered / stiffened suspension it can be a laugh around the Oxfordshire country roads. Niggles? 30,000 miles in and we’ve changed the front tires twice but we do drive this car. Other than that, this a pretty great car. In fact, we bought one of the older models (second hand) for my cousin I’ve just ordered a new one for my mum. The Yaris beats the Fiestas (1.3 & 1.25 Zetec) we’ve had hands down.

Responses to this review

I agree with you. I have had many cars and Toyotas were always the best....and still are. I had a Yaris before and it was the best car, now I have another Yaris and there is nothing wrong with it. The gears are perfect, the brakes perfect, steering, seats, everything about the car is perfect. My next car will be a Toyota! - Bob from County Londonderry

Hi AlexE. I AGREE with you. I LOVE my Yaris, it is the BEST car. I think the ones on here writing bad things about it must be journalists or ones who sell another brand, I had a matiz and it was rubbish, I happily went back to Toyota. The ones on here must not drive Toyotas at all, must be a smear campaign. They must be jealous non-Toyota drivers - Amy from England

Toyota Aygo 2007

I am experiencing the same condensation problem. Water on the inside of the windscreen and in the cold weather, the whole windscreen freezes on the inside. I have taken it in 3 times, since I bought it from new. I had the door seals replaced and they did some humidity tests to say the car was dry inside. But its still not resolved. I am going to write to the manager of the dealership, Toyota’s HQ and trading standards after reading these reviews. Very disappointed.

Responses to this review

I have recently had the same problem with very heavy condensation in the similar Peugeot 107. I discovered the sound insulation under the boot carpet was soaking at each side. I came to the conclusion that dirt had built up around the seal between the rear window and the car body, allowing water to enter. I have cleaned it all thoroughly (it was thick with dirt), and the condensation problem seems to have gone - Ian Carson from Somerset

Exactly the same for me this year and last year. Speak to Consumer Direct for legal guidance. My car has also been checked and no leaks found HAS TO BE A FAULTY PRODUCT - Linda Woolley from Worcestershire

Aygo Blue, 09. I have had exactly the same problems with condensation. Also, when I turn on the heater the windows would steam up in no time. The only solution was to turn on the A/C (heating on). This did clear up the condensation. Up until this time I have always had the air intake selector set on recirculate. I changed it to draw air from outside and the next day (7/2/10) when I drove the car I found I did not need to turn on the A/C - the windscreen did not steam up. I’m going to try it again when it is very cold and see if this actually does solve the problem - Ben Richards from Middlesex

After the recent cold snap, I can confirm that I no longer have a problem with condensation. Changing the air intake to outside (instead of recirculating) has solved it. Very Happy - Ben Richards from Middlesex

Toyota Corolla Verso T3 D-4D 2007

Diesel version with 6 speed box gives excellent consumption. Normally get around 49 mpg. Did a fully loaded run between Boulogne & Dunkirk and returned 74.4 mpg at average speed of 66.6 mph. Check tilt & slide mechanism on rear seats, mine broke on both seats but was fixed under warranty. Turning circle is poor but improved on ’09 models. Toyota no longer fits roof rails and roof bars only mount 2 foot apart, no good for long items! I have to consult handbook to refit luggage cover. I often do 600 mile trips and have ditched the skinny wheel in favour of a standard steel wheel & tyre. Otherwise very happy with the Verso.

Toyota Aygo 1.0 Black 5dr 2007

Had this car three years and as far as "doing what it says on the can" is concerned I’d say it was the best car I’ve ever had. Reliability has been faultless. I’ve had Renaults and Vauxhalls in the past and this is my first Toyota and whilst the former were reliable they always felt like something could go wrong at any time where as my Aygo is rock solid. I am most amazed by the performance as it seems to have long gears and the guts to pull them where as most small cars require constant gear changes to keep them moving. It is very nippy and nimble and I am most often being held up by slower cars in front. I’ve taken it on holiday and after a long trip I didn’t have single ache or pain and neither did my passenger. It is definitely comfortable and relaxing to drive. Fuel consumption is excellent so no complaints there. The boot is a bit small but I expect that with a small car and with the 5dr I can chuck stuff on the back seats. I wish I had bought the option glove box cover though. Such a small piece of plastic should surely be included in the price. Dealers have been great. Highly recommended car and I will either get another Aygo or a Yaris in the next couple of months.

Toyota Hiace 2007

I owned two Vaxuhalls and have had no end of problems with them, then after a lot of reseach I decided to buy a Toyota Hiace. After nearly three years and 45,000 miles it has been faultless. Since buying mine I have met someone who has done 125,000 miles in his and he has never had a single problem, I dont understand why Hiaces aren’t more popular?

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon VX Diesel 1998

I was a garage owner selling 5-600 used vehicles per year, I owned my first Landcruiser Amazon for 7 years and my current one for 8 years. I have bought, sold, owned and driven most cars during my motor trade career up to and including a Rolls Royce, but I can honestly say The Amazon is the best vehicle by miles I have ever owned and driven, and that amounts to around 300,000 miles all across the UK and Europe in all terrains and conditions. I would also say that it drives as well today as it did 8 years ago, and I still look forward to every trip I take in it, it’s an absolute delight to drive. Running costs; apart from tyres, oil and filter changes and brakes, nothing, zilch, zero, except a brake light bulb that went yesterday, my first bulb replacement in 15 years.

Toyota MR2 MK3 Roadster (manual) 2001

I have had mine just over 2 years. In that time I have had brake discs replaced and a full set of Toyo’s fitted which improved it greatly. It only let me down once, when the battery died on me, other than that, trouble free, joyful motoring. If you are thinking of getting one go for one with the hard-top which will cost more, but you will be grateful for it in the winter months: it also stiffens the car a bit and makes it a tauter drive wheras you do notice a bit of chassis flex at speeds with the roof off and top down. The only real word of warning is to treat it with respect in the wet, ’cos like all rear wheel drive cars it can bite you in the ass if you get too enthusiastic. I don’t know why people moan about the standard stereo, mine sounds fine and its plenty loud enough for anyone to destroy their hearing. It’s relatively cheap to insure, good on fuel (for a sports car), reasonable service costs but with the bonus of 10K intervals!! I think it’s one of the most attractive roadsters out there. Pose factor is high - and people regularly let you out at junctions, which doesn’t seem to happen a lot to BMW or Porsche drivers. Some people call this the poor man’s Boxter, which I do get, but honestly I would rather have the MR2 because you get a HUGE amount of bang for your buck, without the cost disadvantages or the resentment that other road users seem to dish out to more expensive marques. A fabulous little car. Who can knock it? It’s fast, good looking, reasonable to run, handles great and puts a huge grin on your face.

Toyota Hiace 2003

I have had this toyota 2003 model for 2 years now, have never had no problems and the only money I have ever spent on this van is servicing. A great work horse that never lets you down and great for pulling heavy loads and Very reliable. Now days when driving a van we expect what we get in a car and the new toyota does this. I am not trying to make this out to be the perfect van but if you want to go to work every day and want reliability choose a toyota hiace. Thanks.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Wow, I cannot believe there are so many reviews regarding the water damage. My girlfriend has the Aygo and to be honest it hasn’t been a bad car until the inside windows kept steaming up making it so dangerous to drive,we took it in to toyota twice who eventually changed the air filters however this was the second of asking!?! Afew months later we opened the car door to find the drivers footwell full of water approx 4 inches. The car was taken back to toyota and returned with no explaination only for it to happen two weeks later. This time Toyota said it was the seal on the door which was out of line,they fixed it and sent back, then it happened again the next time it rained....currently waiting to hear what excuse we are given this time?! I think it’s a joke that Toyota have not recalled these cars back or at least admitted this is a common fault on the aygo and customers have to come on here to complain!?! Another gripe is the light not coming on when the passenger door is opened and the seats recline to most uncomfortable position when they are swung back to allow passengers on the back!

Toyota Aygo Platinum 2009

My Mother bought this brand new in November. 2 weeks later I borrowed it, only to find the carpet under the front seat & rear carpet & mats to be soaking wet. I rang the dealer on the Monday & they collected it on the Wednesday & returned it within 4 hours saying they needed to order the parts. The car became undrivable due to the amount of water, causing it to mist up. The dealer said the parts were not due in until January. How stupid do the dealers have to be to let a car on the road with a fault such as this AND allow it to get even worse over the following weeks? The car was returned and the dealer said we could have a loan car till the parts came (Jan) only ring on 23rd December saying it was all ready and we could collect it. We said no as it is a 30 mile drive. We did go there on 29th and found the car was still damp, heated rear screen still not fully working and the wrecked mats just dried out & put back in. We rejected the car (again) and trading standards have been informed and told us we have done the correct thing. We now want shot of this mouldy wreck of a car and either a replacement car or our money back. The dealer was most suprised when they were shown printed material off the internet about water leaks. The new part they had put on was just a rubber strip. In the showroom at the time was a new 3dr Aygo WITHOUT the strip so whoever buys this will get wet too.

Toyota Aygo 2004

The water described by plenty of others, is a problem of my own. Tearing the car apart, we discovered that THIS IS NOT A LEAK! The water poors in when you open the door, and gets down in the pit beneath the driver or passenger seat. From there, it goes back to the rear of the car. Also, the mats are very short beneath the pedals, so wet feet make the carpet wet, and water is trapped under the rubber mat. There is nothing physically wrong with the car, you just have to be very careful when you open the door, and that you don’t bring in any snow or water with your feet. (Which is nearly impossible...)

Responses to this review

The door seals leak. Twice fixed by dealer, only to fail again. Leave the car out in the rain and the rear footwells fill with water - Doug Salmon from Oxfordshire

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I forgot to mention a few other things that I dislike about the car. Cold air is always blowing on my feet when it’s cold outside, I have tried everything to make it stop but it won’t. Dealer says this is normal and I should turn the heater at the feet vent on a higher setting. What I get now is hot air from the vent at feet level while cold air blows in from somewhere else also down at foot level but it’s not coming from the vent. The start stop feature is an absolute joke as so far in my driving experience, it has only worked for about twenty percent of the total driving time. The manual says that in cold weather the battery needs more energy and thus the start stop will only work sometimes. I live in Germany so I don’t know if my post will be allowed and I pressed a county lising at random as this was the only way my post could be entered, I am sorry about that.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I will give you an honest word on this little car. Purchased it about three months ago, and I have mixed feelings. I have a problem with a leaky front window, the gears are fine, however, sometimes reverse has difficulty getting in and second gear too. The clutch has to be pressed to the floor to get a smooth gear change in either reverse or second gear and even then it sometimes decides not to go in without several tries. Dealer, as usual, said everything normal except for leaky glass. The car drives nicely, has excellent handling, I always feel in control and slippery roads were a pleasant surprise. Car has excellent power up to 120 kmh, however, power fades badly after that. I don’t know about the hundred plus horsepower, I have driven cars with less rated power that were much stronger at higher speeds. I have been driving Toyota’s for almost twenty years and have loved them all, except for this one. I gave her a three star rating, but it could have just as easily been two stars.

Toyota Picnic GLS Diesel 2.2 turbo 1998

It’s a bit chuggy but you get used to it, the driver’s seat is not that comfy, however, it’s done 125K miles so can’t really complain. No major problems, alarm started coming on unexplained so I just lock it with the key now. Can be difficult to get into 2nd gear on changing down even with Slick50 in gearbox and linkages lubed but I’ve got used to it, this is due to a slightly bent selector arm I am told. Seat belts got tired and don’t wind back automatically as well as they did. Bodywork a bit on the thin side but plastic clad bottom half a good idea. Still running on the original exhaust. Regularly seviced at 9K miles with intermediate oil changes (being a diesel). Remarkably good on rattles, shows trim is a good fit/well secured although a bit dull and plastic dominated inside. Standardised air conditioning abs and adjustable mirrors a big plus.

Toyota Verso Luxury 1.8 Multidrive 2009

I have had this car for 1 month and I am very happy wit it. My former Toyota was the Corolla Verso of 2007 with the MMT gearbox. Lots of trouble with it. But this CVT runs like a dream. I am living in Finland and the winter is cold here with a lot of snow, I have had no problems. It is very roomy for a family of four. The seats are very good and the folding system better than in the former one. The car handles perfectly in heavy trafic and on lonely roads. The quality is of very good Toyota standard. It is a perfect family MPV.

Toyota Aygo platinum 2008

I wanted a cheap reliable little car and that’s what I got. I wasn’t expecting a large boot or lots of room inside, it’s a pretty small car! It fits the shopping in the boot fine and it doesn’t get thrown about, you can get adults in the back if wanted, but hardly anyone I know has a small car so they can carry 4 passengers regularly! The front of car has plenty of room for driver/ passenger. It drives fine, not had a problem with it at all. I’ve found the engine is good enough to over-take easily and not had any probs with going up hills etc., the windscreen mists up easily but not had any other water related issues! MPG is brill, it’s nippy, really easy to drive and park and I like the look of it. Thumbs up!

Toyota Aygo + 2005

I bought my Aygo in 2005 and thought it was the best car I’ve owned, but the depressing problem of interior water leaks has tainted our relationship..grr.

Responses to this review

I have had same problem with an Aygo - Liza Leigh from Cheshire

Toyota Yaris gls 1.3 2000

I got my Yaris Gls from new, I have done 95000 miles and it has never let me down. It’s never had a spanner on the engine apart from services, a fantastic car. If anybody wants to sell me a 2008/2009 drop me a line at dholdham@msn.com

Responses to this review

Don’t change it! I had a super, nippy little 2002 Yaris GLS. I changed it in October 2009 for a Yaris TR, 1.33cc, thinking it had improved features, space and economy. It has been a problem right from the start. It is so sluggish. It takes ages to get up to speed and I haven’t dared take it on a motorway as yet. It revs up as I change gear, and the gears are awful, particularly second gear. It is a wonder no-one has collided with the rear of my car at a roundabout - slowing up, then trying to pull away when the road is clear is a nightmare as very often second gear doesn’t engage, and I find myself struggling to get it in. The heaters won’t direct warm air to my hands, unlike my previous Yaris, and as I dislike using gloves I have spent most of my time this winter driving with freezing fingers. I am told it doesn’t need a recall regarding the accelerator problem, but I took it back for the gears to be checked. Was dismayed to find that the Visual Safety Report/Estimate I was given afterwards made absolutely no mention of the gear problem, (which is now no better) but just ticked that the following items had been checked: Lights/Under Bonnet/Exterior/Seatbelts/Clutch and the individual tyres, none of which I had concerns about! When I complained I was told that they and the company had records of the work carried out (gear cables adjusted), but I very much doubt that. Are they trying to sweep another problem under the carpet? I later received a letter confirming the adjustment to the gear cables. As for carpets, I am now going to have to return the car for the carpet under the pedals to be fastened down. It has come away from the floor and is loose under my feet. I shall never buy another Toyota - Wendy Magern from Dorset

Toyota Aygo aygo+ 2009

I was delighted with the Aygo until today! I’ve discovered loads of water behind the drivers seat, the carpet is absolutely water sodden. I am extremely unhappy and wish I’d looked at i/net before I’d purchased!

Responses to this review

I bought another aygo in May after being so pleased with my first one. However I have discovered a leak in the boot. They have replaced parts but still it leaks and now the rear seats are wet. Taking it back Wednesday as very unhappy - Saroj Painter from Hampshire

Toyota Hiace 2.5 D4D 2004

I bought this van in July 2005, had been on the dealers forecourt for 6 months as a pre-registered vehicle since December 2004. I had never had a van before, so nothing to compare it against. My views are this: In 94,000 miles from new until I part exchanged it in March this year, it was serviced on schedule, and nothing, and I mean nothing, ever went wrong with it, not even a blown light-bulb!! The only modification I made to it was to supplement the horrible tinny speakers with some nice after-market boxed ones I placed under the seats. This was the GS-Extra version, so had aircon, but not heated mirrors etc. Fuel consumption was probably average only 25/27 mpg, but I don’t like to dawdle so could possibly achieve 30+ Possibly being in the market for a new van again, I have been looking at the reveiws/forums etc for other models. Certainly better looking models with higher spec are available, but this ugly duckling was a fantastic workhorse ! No, I have no connection with Toyota whatsoever, but my research has lead me to the conclusion that for reliability, there is no other choice than a Toyota Van, hope this helps some of you to make up your mind.

Responses to this review

I think it has sir, thanks - Steve Wilson from Essex

Toyota Yaris Zinc 2007

Bought a Yaris Zinc in 2007 with mmt. Having trouble with gear changes, like various other people. The main problems are the gear change goes up on hills and roundabouts and when it changes gear in auto mode it clonks at the back like the old cars with a back axle. Due for a change think, I will have to try other manufacturers very, very, dissapointed.

Toyota Aygo 2006

I love my little Aygo but could not believe I need a new clutch after only 35,000 mls. I had a 2 brand new Saxo’s and drove one for 82,000 and the other a whole 120,000 without needing a new clutch. I changed to Toyota because the Aygo was prettier!!! Yes, I know typical woman but after having to pay over £500 for a new clutch I do regret going for looks!! No leaking though, well not yet!!

Responses to this review

You think you’ve got a problem? My Aygo with less than 11,000 mileage needs new water pump and radiator. Seriously thinking of switching to another brand but when reading reviews on other models they all seem to have problems. Can anyone suggest a small reliable 3 door hatch? - Cassie from Yorkshire

Bought a used Aygo from Fords, Bridgend. No Leaks, but so far have had to have a new exhaust, new brake pads and discs (failed 1st MOT). Now the air bag light is constantly on and the gears are very sticky almost impossible to change up. Bought it for my 17 yr old daughter but she can’t afford the repairs for another month. All this in a car that is not 5 years old yet - Tina Hornsopedersen from Bridgend

I have a 2007 Aygo which has done 18,500 miles and I can’t believe the clutch is gone. Toyota is saying it’s my fault. I have been driving on a daily basis for the past 20 yrs and have not had this kind of problem with a new car. Are there any other people out there who have experienced this problem? - Constance Mambanje from England

Same problem with me, they said my clutch is gone and I need to pay £500 for a new clutch. I don’t believed this, I only drove for 17,000 miles. I regret buying this car, too many problems - Alvin Chan from England

My Aygo is only two and a half years old and has been in repeatedly for problems with the clutch. As it’s under Warranty, Toyota have unsurprisingly reported that there are "no issues". Yesterday we had the rather horrific experience of the gearbox completely failing on a busy road. Toyota have reluctantly agreed to collect the car to have a look but are already being fairly aggressive in saying that it’s unlikely to be a warranty issue and rather something we have to pay for. I’m absolutely fuming that they have had the car three times over the last month and haven’t bothered to check the safety of the car. Instead they’ve happily let us drive a car that is potentially dangerous! Angela Ashcroft from Hampshire

Toyota Aygo 2009

I have found the same water leak problem in my Aygo. I bought mine 6 months ago, but it is running smooth. I took my car in to the service centre because of a water leak and they gave me back saying it was fixed, unfortunately it rained heavily this week and I have found no change as its still leaking. I am feeling quite annoyed now after reading reviews that it’s a problem that Toyota is not addressing , taking hard earn money from the customers. I would not recommend this car to buy, as it has a reliability issue. My other car is 15 years old and doesn’t leak in any condition. That makes me think how poor designers are working at Toyota.

Responses to this review

The fix for this fault has been around for a few months and your local dealer can find it on their "TOTTS" computer system. The water ingress is from poorly routed/sealed wiring to the door speakers and poorly sealed inner door panels. Hope this helps - Peter from Lancashire

Dealer fix does not work! Had this done TWICE to my 107 and the rear footwells still fill with water after rain - Douglas Salmon from England

Then your dealer is the problem not the car as we’ve not had one Aygo we haven’t sorted yet, between the speaker wiring and inner door foils being resealed and one or two center brake lights - Peter from Lancashire

Toyota Avensis Estate 1.8 v v t i gs 2001

This is a brilliant car! It won’t rust it’s got a cam chain (no belt to break) it’s well built, it’s quiet, everything works (after 130 000 miles), great heater, goes like a bat and comfortable gives 40 mpg (petrol engine). It also handles pretty good so if you’re looking for cheap reliable quality transport the 2001 onwards Avensis is (in my opinion) unbeatable!

Toyota Rav4 2009

My diesel Rav4 is currently averaging 42 mpg . It is a 3 door version with little room for rear seat passengers. The large rear door creates a problem when loading if raining.

Toyota Yaris 2002

My sister has a Yaris. She had some rattling at the front of the car so she took it to two garages. One said it was the gearbox and the other said it was the clutch with the cost to repair between £400-500. This is a lot of money for a budget car that people buy for economy and cheap motoring, she has two children and a house to keep she needs her car for work. Toyota should recall these cars and fix them for free as its obviously a manufacturing fault

Responses to this review

The rattling is the air intake plastic pipe by the bodywork fastening. The air filter box works like an amplifier, that’s why it’s so loud, took me one month to find out but only 2 mins to fix it :) - PeterP from Ireland

Toyota Yaris 2009

As a driving instructor I have used various makes/models. In August I thought I would go for a Yaris, what a mistake. I was already noticing excessive oil use. At 4000 miles. On a lesson the engine partly disintegrated, bits of sheared off engine parts in the road!!! Apparently on all recent Yaris’s there is a problem with the turbo which causes oil to be sucked from the engine into the turbo/inlets. So out of the the last month it has spent 3 weeks on a garage ramp with courtesy cars provided by the Driving Instructor Centre. Compensation; by going to the very top, I contacted Mr Adashi, CEO Toyota Europe, my agreed compensation so far stands at £900!!

Responses to this review

Very strange, I too am an A.D.I. and while on a lesson yesterday the engine revved wildly and disintegrated leaving the con rod and peices of the engine block all over the road. Similair miles too, just short of the first service at 9,000miles Thought it was something to do with the recall on the accellarator pedal that has just been announced but this seems tooo coincidental. What path did you take for compensation? Main dealer or direct to C.E.O.? - Tony Kelsey from Durham

I also work as a driving instructor and have same problem, 3 litres of oil between service have to check oil often in case it runs low my car is 09 diesel 6 speed gear which is very noisy . I had a 08 5speed had none of these problems - Bernard McDyre from Ireland

Purchased my Toyota Yaris 1.0 T3 from the main dealer, between July and August the car had 3 litres of oil. Engine oil light still kept flashing. When you change gear the car makes a funny noise especially between 1st and 2nd. Reported it to Toyota who booked it in to the workshop. Had a 3 wek wait as there were no loan cars. Driving on the motorway heard a loud bang from the engine. Toyota thinks the comrod has pierced the pistons. I have only done 8.000 miles since I purchased the car (brought it at 26,000). Toyota are saying may have to pay labour charge if warranty doesn’t cover! really fed up as they don’t seem to care. Will take legal action if they say it is not covered as the engine sounded like it was going to explode. Extremely unhappy - Denise Wilkins from London

Referring to the exploding D4D diesel engines (Bernard McDyre & Denise Wilkins 22/11/2009) It’s too late to help you personally but if you follow this link it will tell you why it happens - www.fiat.co.uk/Community/forums/thread/10175.aspx - The point seems to emerge that DPF (diesel particulate filter) is an absolute no-no unless you drive lots of motorway miles regularly. It would seem that any diesel car, whatever make, after about 2007-8 will have a DPF fitted. Proceed with caution! - Bryan Wilson from Hampshire

Toyota Aygo Automatice 3 Dr Petrol 2006

This car is absolutely brilliant! Go as fast you can go on the road - in this speed limited world.

Toyota Previa 2.2 d4d gs 2002

It does what it says on the tin. 2.0 d4d diesel offering 45- 50 mpg with comfortable reliability that is second to none, however, timing belt service dear. All new toyota have chains; I hope they bring out a new model previa.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 3DR 2009

I still like the car overall, as I reported below, but having tried to get used to the gearbox I find it’s clunky, not smooth finding the gears and is often very, very reluctant to go into second shifting down. Looking for postings on this I find I’m not alone and I also have the reported "burning smell" occasionally in normal driving. I thought the clutch might be slippng once or twice, but put that down to my being "off" in handling a new car, now I’m not at all so sure it’s me. It’s just not got the transmision my 16 year old Corolla had. Seeing the dealer tomorrow; let’s see how this goes.

Responses to this review

Nothing more to add to this review but that I have exactly the same problem. I drive a Yaris 1.33 dual vvt-i SOL since August 2009. I can not get used to the gearbox at all. I’ve been driving a previous model of Yaris (2003) and it was an excellent car then - Robert Zizman from Croatia (Hrvatska)

Toyota Aygo 2006

I brought my Aygo 2 years ago and it has been nothing but a headache due to shoddy design and a string of problems. It has had the following done: New water pump, new radiator, new boot hinges, new hazard button, new door seals/ weather strips And on top of this it leaks water after heavy rain. Do not touch the Aygo with a bargepole, while it may save you money in road tax and petrol it will cost you many more times than this in repairs. This car is poorly built and full of design faults that Toyota refuse to take responsibility for.

Toyota Aygo Platinum 2009

Mine is a new car that I purchased 2 weeks ago and both back passenger footwells are saturated. Toyota want to "fix" it but from what I’ve read here, it seems like my return ticket for this "repair" job has it’s first of many stamps! I am astonished by how long this problem has been ignored by the manufacturer. Unfortunately I didn’t find any leak review before my purchase or i certainly would have considered a different car. The Aygo platinum is a lovely little car. I love everything else about it. But a wet car, inside and out or frozen car inside and out is not a joy. Probably won’t be long before it starts to get damp smelling too! Avoid the Agyo!

Toyota Prius T4 2004

This vehicle is not a ’one solution fits all’, but some treat it as such, so treat any old review with caution. What this is is a spacious medium/large family petrol car, with the fuel economy of a diesel (but a 1/3 less CO2), as quick as any comparable petrol car (or diesel) and almost completely recyclable (including the NiMh batteries, regardless what some want you to believe (Yes, Top Gear, I’m looking at you)). To put in context, our 4 year old 04 Prius T4 was bought as a replacement for our 10 year old 2.0l Volvo V40 estate. We looked at the newer V50, but found this had less boot space and too little leg-room in the back seats; not good for taking a child seat or the aged in-laws. Yet for the same price, we got a car that was as fast as the V40 (which wasn’t bad for an automatic), nearly as much room in the boot, but much more room in the back. Not only that, but instead of a little over 300 miles on a 55 litre fuel tank in the V40, were getting over 400 miles on a 45 litre tank in the Prius. After driving this car for over a year now, it is regularly returning over 48mpg, and over 55mpg on longer drags, such as my runs from Essex to Manchester (even with the M5/M6 traffic jams). As for the technologies involved; Both my wife and I hold Electronic Engineering degrees, so investigated what could have been just the latest eco-fashion accessory before sinking 10K into a 2nd hand car. What we can report is: yes there is there a geek factor, but this car WORKS. Where the Atkinson Cycle engine lacks power, the battery fills in. When there isn’t a heavy demand, the battery will return the power that is normally lost to breaking (so no plugs, no coal-fired power stations, or any of that messing about!). When in a car park, you can even stalk others! The 1.5l petrol engine assists the battery or takes over without fuss, although it can be a little whiney under load (my only room for improvement, hence the 4 stars, but resolved with the new Mk 3s 1.8l engines). Road handling is not bad considering the type of vehicle, and doesn’t half shift from standing still (surprising the odd boy-racer). So, to summarise: This is a practical, reliable, safe family car which is not only easy to drive and live with, but cuts down your fuel bills, your CO2 output, and fills the gap between now and the future. So don’t listen to those who want something fast, fun, sporty or the latest eco-thing, it’s just not their cuppa...

Toyota Yaris 2008

I have been a driving instructor for the past 25 years and as such my clutch work is very good, therefore my clutches last a long time. However, since purchasing my Yaris I have had the clutch burn out at only 27,000 miles. The new clutch then began to emit a burning smell after 3 days so I took it back to the garage for an inspection, only to be told that the smell was merely the smell of the old burnt out clutch lingering and that it would eventually go away. Now, just 2 weeks since the new clutch was fitted I can once again smell burning and the car has had to go back into the garage again, which is obviously seriously disrupting my work. I had been recommending the Yaris to pupils and anyone else I spoke to who was already considering buying one, however, I am now completely put off the car. Even Nissans have better performance in their clutches! Has anyone else had a problem with their clutch? I have been reading a lot of reviews complaining about the Yaris’ gear-box, which I think could be related to the clutch.

Responses to this review

You only need to read through all the reviews to get the picture regarding gearbox/clutch issues. I have rejected my car and am waiting for Toyota to respond, after a year trying to get used to it and umpteen trips and weeks in the garage. Simply the worst car I have ever owned or driven. I am totally at a loss to see how it was possible for the Yaris to get a good reputation and I don’t understand the people on this forum who praise it. The only thing is hasn’t actually done is break down but neither did my 9 year old Clio 1.6 16v in the 9 years I owned it and it was a joy to drive and did everything it should have, I can’t say the same for the Yaris 1.3 - Peter from Bedfordshire

Almost 20/30% of new manual 6 speed Yaris’ have gearbox troubles. Toyota knows this perfectly but doesn’t lift a finger to repair this drama-comic situation. If Toyota is still, even if I doubt, a serious car brand factory they should recall & repair for free all gearbox troubled cars; however, I think this will remain a dream. Right now Toyota is one of the less reliable car brands in Europe. I had a test drive with the new Mito (Alfa) & it is another Galaxy - Davide from Northern Ireland

We must be in the lucky 70% as our new 1.33 manual 6-speed Yaris has no gearbox quirks at all. Easy when oil is cold (all this week!) and smooth into every gear. In fact a much smoother gear change than my Audi (but that’s another story). I do find the clutch biting point a little difficult to feel compared to a faithful old Mazda, ie it’s easy to stall(so is the Audi). Overall we are very pleased indeed with the way it drives, hope the Toyota reliability reputation was translaled into French for the people who built the car. I had a new Renault once and vowed never never again to buy a French car - John Milnes from England

Having worked for Toyota for over 12 years and seeing learner car Yaris’s doing well over 100k on 1 clutch they don’t have a clutch wear problem and the fact your new clutch is smelling of burning (which is overheating) so soon I would suggest you get your dual controls checked for dragging your clutch pedal or slightly holding the brake pedal on? - Peter from Lancashire

I am a very good driver of standard vehicles. This is not my first time driving a stick, but this is my first time with clutch problems. My clutch burned out this morning, after I smelled a burning smell while driving a few days ago. I think there is definitely a problem with the clutch and Yaris. The dealer is charging me $1088.00 to get materials and install new clutch. I was told that the labor costs $700 alone! Andra Rivers-Jones from United States of America

Toyota Yaris MMT 2008

Great car! I love the MMT! I have read a lot of bad reports about MMT function but really can not fault it!

Toyota Hiace 280GS 2003

Over 300,000 miles and the most expensive thing I spent over servicing has been a suspension bush £90, wheel bearing £50, and windscreen excess of £80! Even has original clutch. AMAZING VEHICLE that owes me nothing - in fact every morning I go down on my knees in front of it and pay homage. Unfortunately, as a taxi it has to have two doors and new UK Hiace has only one. Even asked my dealer to get one posted from Japan but they won’t/can’t do it. I look at the 3-star rating of the other makes and blanche as I have to change it by local law after 8 years. It 25 years times it will still be going - probably around the jungle in Bolivia, painted a hundred colours with no windows and chickens on the roof - but it will still be going!

Toyota Land Cruiser 2006

My 5th Land Cruiser. I love every minute of owning this car. Absolutely fabulous....

Toyota iQ iQ2 2009

Had this car for a full day test drive. I took it on all types of roads. It performed well on the motorway and felt like a proper car given its size. I even managed to squeeze two passengers into the back, although the passenger behind the driver would not want to travel far. The turning circle is brilliant, and great fun. I averaged 55mpg, not bad given the thrashy nature of a test drive. However, the iQ’s biggest problem is Toyota’s own Aygo. I took one of these out for a test drive too and it did everything the iQ did but at a much cheaper price and with more space. Of the two, I think I would probably save the money and have the Aygo.

Toyota Hiace 2.4 D powervan 1996

I am the 3rd owner, bought it with 78k miles 8yrs ago. It now has 180k. I do basic servicing every year (filters, lubes and belts) when due. The only mechanical parts I’ve had to change are: glow plugs, water pump and starter motor... Wow what can I say? It’s been an absolute dream... however my dilema is that I need a bigger van... Toyota don’t do the size i require... so, can anyone help? Which manufacturer do I switch to? Gutted to leave toyota :(

Responses to this review

Get yourself a Renault Master. They are bullet proof. Comfortable and reliable - Shane Gallagher from Northern Ireland

Keep it, get a tow-bar - Paul Rugman from Gloucestershire

No, you should never buy a Renault or Opel van. I’ve just got rid of my Opel Vivaro. It was great to drive, had the perfect interior but very unreliable with tons of problems: Generator, breaks, turbo, steering, and only after 100,000 miles the whole gear shift needed to be changed costing me 1500 euros by replacing with used parts from ebay, new pars would have cost 4000 the dealer said. That is why I am thinking of buying Toyota. Reviews about Ford Transit are also pretty bad unfortunately. That’s my story - Alpar Benko from England

I would like to buy your old Toyota - Evans Onyeagwara from London

Toyota Yaris 2009

One of the best cars that I have ever driven.

Responses to this review

My best car too - Pat from Bedfordshire

Toyota Yaris 1.3 2009

For me the Toyota Yaris is a great car without problems. My parents bought one after test driving. They are a bit older and love the seats for their backs. They owned a Hyundai Elentra. My friend trashed his Fiat and also bought the Yaris. Previous car (15 years) was the Toyota Corolla: 320,000 km without any problems.

Responses to this review

I have always had Toyotas and always had complete satisfaction with them, NO problems I will be sticking to Toyotas - Judy from England

Toyota Picnic Manual G.L.S. 1999

I bought the car at 3 years old after 1 previous owner. I have 5 young children all of whome would get car sick in a very short time in normal low ceiling cars. This is not a problem with the model I have, as the moon roof and the sun roof and the extra head clearance makes for a very relaxed journey for them. All of my friend’s have made good comments about the spacious interior compared to their own cars. The only draw back that I have experienced is having to remove the rear seats, so as not to damage the seat fabric. This is not difficult, but to find a place to store the seats is problamatic! The fuel economy is great and actually rivals a diesel engine at a lower CC on long distances, but be aware that driving around the doors with a 2 litre engine is un-economical! The other problem is that there is no manual that I can find to be able to repair the car myself, and this is costly. It is wise though to change the engine oil and the filter on a regular basis. This is not a difficult job and does not have to be done by an experienced mechanic. The air filter is the same. Remember, tyre presures are extremly important if you are using the car for a long distances,as this greatly improves the mpg of the car.

Responses to this review

Entirely Agree with your comments but would be grateful if you could tell me the location of the oil filter as soon as possible - Francis Moore from England

Toyota Yaris 1.33 Sol 6-gears 2009

One of the worst cars ever, it reminds me a typical chinese car, the build quality is really low, it is not comfortable at all, the steering is too light (very dangerous), the seat (driver side) is too close while the steering is too far so it’s impossible to find a decent (and definitive) driver position. When it rains it seems to have the water inside! The new engine 1.3 (100hp) is underpowered but it drinks like a Scotsman, on highway over 70/80mph seems to drive like a jumbo jet. It starts to squeak after 4/5000km, now seems a concern. Very poor and badly assembled plastics, the gears are a real nightmare, every time you shift it seems that the engaged gear is coming out, very heavy/hard gear and above all very noisy. The clutch is too high (I mean really too much), the brake system is good only at low speeds, at high speed you should cross your fingers hoping to never stress your "eco" (as economic) brakes. This is my first and will be the last Toyota.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

In response to Peter Walsh, I have just got my car back from the dealer after 2 weeks. I had rejected it but was advised by my legal team to give the dealer one more try. They say they have replaced some parts in the gearbox linkage and it does seem slightly better but still not what I call a good car to drive. The brakes are still dreadful, the clutch still judders but they tell me they are all the same even though the courtesy car I just had for 2 weeks was better to drive, though same engine and gearbox. I will be rejecting my car again. I cannot understand how people can like these cars. If I were you I would reject your car, if you have any of the mechanical problems mentioned on this forum, it seems that Toyota just cannot put the problems right.

Toyota Hiace Commuter 2005

Hi, I am actually in Adelaide South Australia and put Ireland because Id like to go there one day... Anyway, I have had 2 Toyota Hiace Commuters, an 89 and a 95 model, total owning time about 8 years, the 89 model had 166,000 km and the only repair was a starter motor and normal services that I had done once each year... the 95 model had done 760,000 km and same story except no repairs just the yearly services, both vans NEVER broke down and I have now changed to a Mercedes Vito and it has broken down 3 times in 18 months, done about 260,000 km and cost me about 5000 dollars in repairs. I must be lucky but I am definitely changing back to a Toyota as soon as I can. Why wasn’t someone there to stop me from making this very expensive mistake buying a non Toyota van? It didn’t help being ripped off by the dealer when we bought the Vito, It was even from an Australian Mercedes van dealer and they were real F#%*@ so and so’s. Go Toyota!

Toyota Yaris T Spirit 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual 2009

Purchased a new Yaris 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual in late August, the car has done less than 800 miles and the gearbox is giving trouble. When you change down from third gear to second, you can’t select second gear leaving you stranded as you are too slow for third gear and too fast for first. It’s been dangerous at times, especially when coming off a motorway or approaching a roundabout as you are left stranded without being able to select a gear. Car went back to the dealer at the start of this week, no courtesy car was offered, after a few hours told by the dealer they can’t find any fault. When asked if they had driven the car the dealer said ’no’. Left the car with the dealer for further investigation and stressed that they need to road test it to find the problem. After 3 days, still not heard back and called the dealer for an update. Dealer said they still can not find any fault so they are going to change the gear selector cables but by their own admission admitted that this will not solve the problem. Has anyone else had problems with the 6 speed manual gearbox in their 2 as trying to put a portfolio of incidents together to take to Toyota and the media to try and get this resolved. If the dealer can’t rectify this, then I’m going to reject the car and buy a Polo instead!

Responses to this review

Hi Peter, I am having exactly the same gearbox problems and am currently in the process of trying to get a new car out of the dealer as I think this is unsafe. - Alan Lord from Lancashire

Yes, only the main problem I’ve had is changing from 4th to 3rd. The dealer originally (at a few hundred miles) admitted there was some resistence in the gearbox and suggested I get back in touch around 4,000/5,000 if problem still persisted, which I did, only to be told that that was just the way the gearbox is and that if they take the car in and strip things down to find the problem - and there isn’t one - I’d be charged. He went on to say that Toyota would claim it’s "driver error" in changing gears. I did stress that I felt the situation to be dangerous (as someone esle has mentioned here) but that didn’t get a response. We agreed I’d call in when I could, to test drive another Yaris with a 6 speed gearbox to compare. I only managed this at 10,000 service and it felt like a completely different gearbox! So the dealership test drove mine and agreed there was a problem and replaced the gear selctor cable but as yet I’m to be convinced it’s helped. I’ve let them know this, and to be fair, we’ve agreed I’ll contact them again in the New Year if it’s clear the problem remains. There’s been no mention of a general problem with this gearbox, so I’m pleased to hear I’m not alone! - Kate from Pembrokeshire

Me too I’d some problems in the transition from 3rd to 2nd, but really it’s my fault. I think Yairs need more accurate sense with the speed when you change the gear box in a simple way, just try to reduce the speed to 20km/h then move to the 2nd gear box. When moving from 4th to 3rd you need to slow to 40km/h or less - Khaled Asem from Egypt

Toyota Yaris TR 2007

I traded my much loved Peugot 106 for the Yaris TR in June and although happy on most issues am seriously concerned about the indicator sytem on this version. On making a minor manoeuvre e.g. onto a slip road or a left from a roundabout, the indicator doesn’t automatically cancel so you have to cancel manually so after after every signal you have to check the indicator light. If you have noisy children in the car or listening to the radio, this is is one more task you could do without. This is potentally very dangerous as if you fail to cancel the indicator a vehicle coming out of a turn will think you are turning but you are not. This does not seem to have been a problem on earlier Yaris editions or on other models in the Toyota range. Toyota say it is the drivers responsibility to cancel indicators and they adhere to the legal requirements. Does anyone else have this problem? And yes the gear change esp for 3rd to 2nd is a nightmare!

Responses to this review

I have no problem with my Toytota indicator, or any other part of it - Nigel from Durham

Hi, yes I too am having indicator problems; but am being told this is a quirk or inherent fault with this car! As stated this can be dangerous as the sound of road noise is loud and the indicators not very loud! I am seeing the dealer tomorrow but do not think they will do anything. This car is 3 months old and has done 1,750 miles... Jeanne Hammond from England

Saw the dealer and nothing can be done about the indicators - Jeanne Hammond from England

Totally agree with the indicators - very, very dangerous. Toyota not interested - David Bridgewater from England

Toyota Aygo 107 urban 2007

Interesting to read the various reports about water ingress. I have just booked my car in for the 5th time. It is a 107- exactly the same car as Toyota Ago-built in the same factory with exactly the same problems. I have had mats frozen to the carpet, boot swamped and drivers footwell wet. Every time I trust they have mended this. I have been on to Fair Trading and been informed that they should make long lasting repair or replace like for like. I have quoted my case number to Peugeot and have also got a case number from them. I am not happy with the car-it has certainly not been fit for purpose as it was bought brand new. I am now going to write to higher powers as it seems to me that this car has inherent defects. Good luck to you all.

Responses to this review

Jane, how do you report it? I am about to head in for a return visit to the Peugeot garage for the same issue, a week after brand new door seals were put in! Nightmare! My car stinks of damp - Sarah Larkins from Essex

Same problem... the car has had numerous seals, including 3 door seals, back break seals, ariel seal and now super seals all have which have not worked. The car stinks of dampness and is going back in for the 5th time. I have put in a complaint to which they advise they will fix it. The damage is already done and now I have faulty interior light and hazzard switches - Sharon Adams from England

Toyota Avensis Hatchback D4D T3S 2005

The best car I have ever owned!! I have had Lexus, Audi, Mercedes, Vauxhall, Ford and many a VW but this car for all round economy, comfort, space and mega reliability is AWESOME! I agree they are not the best looking car but the pros really do make up for it. Also they are one of the safest large family cars on the road with NCAP 5 rating! YEY Toyota!

Toyota Yaris Sol 1.33 manual gear (6) 2009

Decent car but with a nightmare gearbox. I just sent a couple of letters to Toyota and they answered back that they don’t know anything about the problem I reported & mine is just an isolated case, as I can read here it isn’t... Toyota has lost its good name for reliability.

Responses to this review

I bought the same model you drive in July 2009 and am very disappointed. I have the same problems with the gearbx. What a nightmare, I don’t know what to do ... Robert from Croatia

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Zinc 2007

I can’t believe some of the negative comments here. I have just completed 50,000 miles in 2 years - hard driving in London and on motorways. Usually full of equipment. It drives beautifully - the seat is the most comfy I have ever sat in, you can get enormous amounts in the rear with seats down, it will cruise all day at 80 (tho of course I don’t do that ) and on mixed driving returns 45mpg. I had 3 people, a drumkit, cello, keyboard and PA and you wouldn’t know it was loaded. Slight gripe with getting into reverse but that’s about it, oh and going up long hills fully laden it runs out of steam, but it is only a 1.3.

Responses to this review

I also cannot believe that you cannot believe all the negative comments you are reading here. I will not go into too many details but I took legal advice about my Yaris 1.3SR. It was bad in just about every respect the day I bought it 11 months ago. Toyota finance and Toyota are very aware of the case and are waiting to see what the dealer can do. The dealer has taken it away today for their last chance to put all the problems right otherwise I am rejecting it. However nothing short of a complete re-design will put some of the problems right. If I am not offered most of my money back, perhaps someone here would like to buy it from me because I am told all Yaris’s are like that, so if some people think they are a good car then the purchaser should be very happy. This is NOT a reliability issue, it is mainly a drivability issue that I have never had in any car in my 23 years of driving. Perhaps there are actually two Toyota makes, one VERY GOOD and one VERY BAD. After my experiences of 2 Toyotas in the past 16 months I would not want another Toyota if you gave me one. If anyone here disagrees with me, please reply to this and I am willing for you to come and test the car (if I still have it) - Pete from Bedfordshire

Toyota Aygo Blue 2009

Purchased my Aygo in June 2009. I have now discoverd a leak in both footwells, I don’t know how it is getting in as mats are dry. Only the carpet underneath is wet, boot seems dry at the moment, not very happy with Toyota. I am returning it to Toyota service for repair but after what I have read on the these forums I won’t be holding my breath. I wish I had bought the Suzuki now.

Responses to this review

Update! Going back for the 6th time still leaking, c**p service - Robert Herket from Worcestershire

Toyota Yaris sol 2009

It ABSOLUTELY SUCKS AND I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!! What did toyota think it was doing with this idiotic mmt thing? Everytime I drive it I come out of it sick from those lurches and sick of its moaning and whining noises!

Responses to this review

I received my first brand new car 1st September. I HATE IT. I have bought the Toyota Yaris 1.3 MMT model. I am unable to drive a manual as I have a bad left leg. I have always driven a manual up to now. I dread every time I drive the car. It makes my passengers feel car sick. It lurches all the time. It hates being in cues and low gear. I think it thinks its a kangaroo. I have been back to the garage. They checked it. Told me nothing wrong with it just the way I drive it. Then they told me its just how the Yaris is. We have asked for our money back but I don’t think we will get it. I love driving but I dread driving at the moment - Tracy Brown from England

I feel exactly the same way. I got this car because I wanted something easy to park but that had an automatic gearbox. This is NOT an automatic. The only way to drive it without lurching is using the mmt feature. We bought it thinking it was just us getting used to the car, but 2 weeks on we’re still lurching from one gear to another. Very dangerous at roundabouts and junctions as you don’t know when the car is actually going to move!! I hate this car and have no idea what to do about it. We’re calling the garage tomorrow and hopefully they’ll have some sort of suggestion - Becks from Renfrewshire

MMT isn’t Automatic, its a manual gearbox controlled by actuators. A robot. It takes getting used to. The theory is good, it’s just not quite perfected yet - Rob from England

Hi, why didn’t Toyota bring out a proper automatic? We seem to want one!! Jeanne from England

Toyota Hilux 3.0 Invincible auto 2007

We’d intended to get a used Amazon, but very strong used values coupled with hefty road tax penalties made us think about a pick up instead. Automatic is a must, Ford were just about to launch their own 3.0 litre automatic ranger, but no one at Ford could tell me where the engine or gearbox came from, and not wishing to be unpaid R&D for a new model we decided to check out others. Navara went into limp mode on the test drive and my wife hated the sound and drive of it, so that left new Mitsubishi L200 which looks odd and we really wanted a 3.0 litre for the extra torque anyway. It only left Toyota which was what we wanted anyway and having owned a Landcruiser 3.0 litre Diesel before which was completely reliable and built like the proverbial brick outhouse I knew the motor would be good... but you still have to check the opposition to confirm. So we test drove the Hilux, both liked it and Toyota did us a fair price... dead lucky here, we ordered 2 weeks before Top Gears North Pole trip was shown, wouldn’t have got any discount after that as no one knew of the new model prior to that. Vehicle turned up sure enough for 1st Sept, all good. Righto, the gearbox is a dream smooth changes and good instant pulling power, small criticism here, the engine has huge low speed power, maximum torque from 1400rpm, so even though the gearbox locks in 4th when up to speed it will change down before needed, shame Toyota couldn’t have put some sort of manual override button, we could semi permanently lock top gear on the open road, but hey ho as I said a minor point in the grand scheme of a good auto box. Nice little touch, there is a release button for the gearstick beside it, so you don’t need to turn the ignition on and put foot on brake to select neutral if you want to roll forward on a slope or example. Engine is very willing, reasonably quiet, and pulls like a train. The vehicle is high geared in top something like 2200 rpm at a genuine 80mph, so high speed cruising is easy though you can pay at the pumps for that. Fuel consumption varies between 27 and 30ish, the former if you boot it and you could get worse than that, the latter for normal running, which I think is reasonable for a 2 ton brick. Didn’t go for leather, 2 reasons didn’t like the one bland grey colour and it’s slippery and cold (no seat heaters) for my wife’s bum ;) that’s 3 reasons... Very good to drive, can be skittish in the wet, tyres need to be carefully chosen, I’m a user of winter tyres anyway during the cold spell and this vehicle is transformed on higher quality tyres, the original fitments weren’t the greatest in my humble opinion. Following that idiotic biased Elk test video on youtube Toyota had the knee jerk reaction of stopping using the 16" wheels on the Invincible and fitted 15" instead, they tried to get us to have new 15" (HL3) wheels under warranty but we’ve not had a problem with the handling save for my above comment over tyre choice, so we are still running the 16" wheels, if I’d wanted an HL3 I’d have bought one and saved myself a couple of grand. The paint seems a bit easy to scratch, and I daresay we’ll be having it repainted much better in a few years time, as this truck is here with us till the end of it’s days (or ours). This seems to be a problem with many new vehicles, this modern paints just don’t wear like the old stuff. Underside prone to rusting, definitely a case for heavy spraying with rustproofing chemicals/paint underneath. Mirrors though they are electric and very good being huge and well placed are not heated even as an option, this was a bad oversight and Toyota should really have offered a retro fit service to their customers with this... whether the 2009 facelift model has heated mirrors I know not. I have a bit of a feeling that they didn’t want Hilux pinching too many sales from Landcruiser, so didn’t make them too luxurious, mind you their pretty good anyway. Well it’s now exactly 2 years old, no problems at all as expected. Toyota’s service dept is it’s usual efficient self and the servicing costs are reasonable say around £180 for intermediate (year 1 and 3) and £270 for full (year 2), I don’t think that’s bad at all, and I do pay extra to have a new fuel filter annually, that for some reason isn’t in the service schedule, but I like my vehicles serviced proper like, and I slip in a half yearly oil change myself. Engine oil change is recommended at 9K miles by the way. The fuel filter has proper primer plunger fitted, unlike much of the competition which is just another old fashioned belt and braces approach to the way they build their working vehicles, a good thing as far as i’m concerned. Hope this is a little help to anyone considering a Hilux, I would recommend without hesitation, relatively simple tough pick up that should turn out to be totally reliable, and seems to be keeping it’s value quite well where the competition is being given away at 3 or so years old.

Responses to this review

Can I offer a couple of tips for your Hilux. I put around 5cwt in the rear of the truck, which greatly improves the road-holding in the wet, although it chips a couple of mpg off. But I then use Shell VP Diesel.Its a few pence more, but the performance is enhanced, and mpg increased to compensate. I have an Invincible 200 - Mike Hansen from Kent

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2008

This is the most uncomfortable car to travel in and I agree, road noise is dreadful. There seems to be a total lack of suspension which gives really bad problems after only a short ride. Do not know what we can do about this.

Responses to this review

I have to disagree, I have a 2008 Avensis 2.0 D4D TR. It is extremely comfortable. This is the second Avensis I have owned, the previous being a 1.8 T3-X. I have covered over 50,000 miles between the two cars, both faultlessly. On the matter of road noise, yes it can be a little loud depending on the road surface, but this also comes down to tyre choice, usually the cars are specced new with possibly the most expensive tyres, which are also usually very quiet. Budget tyres however (from experience) are a bit noisier. It will sit on a motorway at the legal limit day in day out and handle well on a fast country road. Tne only downside to this car is the short service intervals - Steve Bage from England

Toyota Avensis Tourer D4D Station Wagon 2002

I’m from Portugal, and have owned mine since 2005. I bought it with 80,000kms on, now has 213,000kms. 105,000kms - flywheel and clutch 140,000kms - steering failed 210,000kms - turbo (IHI - not repairable!) And the flywheel is failing again now... Very cheap to run, reliable (flywheel apart). Shame on you Toyota, you should call every owner to replace Flywheel!

Toyota Yaris 2009

I am having trouble with the gear box. Also, is anyone having problems with the front doors? When it rains, or when washing the car, water gets in to the door and when you open it you can see it pouring out of a drain hole...

Responses to this review

What did your dealer say about the gearbox problem? My dealer said it has not had anyone else with this problem - Mags Allsopp

Many thanks. The gear box is probably a bit stiff being new, sent letter to Toyota and am waiting for a reply. I also sent an email to the dealer and am waiting for a response about the water - Anthony Long from Northumberland

I have had my Yaris tr 1.3 for a couple of months. i took it back after a week as it was not going in to 4th gear properly every time. Toyota said there had been reports of this on some gears and said they had tweeked it. I'm still having probelems with 4th gear and will be taking it back again. My half an hour drive to work on a dual carriageway is only on average 37 mpg. One last thing, I have left my car in first gear then when I've gone to move off I have shot back in reverse and as you will know this can not be done accidently - Claire Atkinson from England

I bought a brand new Yaris earlier this year and had the same problem with one of the back doors. The garage put it right in the end. Anyone else had a problem with cracking side mirrors? I have only had the car since February but already had to replace two drivers side mirrors which have just cracked. Also had both mirrors stolen. So far spent couple of hundred quid on side mirrors over a period of a couple of months - Kathleen Morris from London

Toyota Yaris D4D T3 2009

I am a driving instructor and bought my 3rd Yaris diesel T3 end of April. From the start there was black smoke from the exhaust and it used all the engine oil in 3,000 miles - I had to fill it up every week. Dealer offered me an oil consumption test and said Toyota say 1ltr of oil per 1,000 miles is OK!!!! Not prepared to do a 20 mile round trip every week for this test when it was obvious that it was more serious, but they didn’t seem bothered about the smoke. Took it in again lasty week and insisted on a test drive. It broke down 2 mins later. Took 3 days and the engine out to find that the engine block, cranckshaft, piston and valve all knackered. New short motor being put in-takes another week. Very unhappy and angry with Toyota and dealer. I could insist on a new car but so much hassle I will have to accept the repair. But I will be getting rid of this car asap. Oh and I told them about the problem with 2nd gear too - same as an ADI friend with the same model.

Toyota Camry GXI v6 2.5 auto 1990

I bought one in Slough in may 2009, stood me at £430. Since then new cat 1 alarm, new alloys (£220), 82000 miles, sounds like a sewing m/c, drives great. It is an auto with overdrive, and sports setting. It is now worth £2000 of anybodys money.

Toyota Yaris T3 MMT 2007

This is the second Yaris that I have owned from new, so far it has done 23,000 trouble free miles. No problems with the mmt gearbox, and mpg excellent. A great little car, never had any problems at all with it, will definitely buy another next year. The dealership servicing and customer care is excellent.

Responses to this review

I agree with you Derek. My Yaris is the best car too. I never had any problems with it. Next car will be Toyota and the staff are very good too - Lucy from County Tyrone

Toyota Yaris 2007

I totally agree, the MMT gearbox is "all over the place". Changes gear, hates bad weather, or hills. Just had an upgrade, much better.

Toyota Yaris 2007

I have an 07 Zinc. I hate the multi mode gearbox which causes the car to be a very "jerky" ride. By far the worst car I have ever driven. I found out by chance about an update and have just had this done. Much better. I was informed that Toyota admit that this gearbox was a "mistake". Why was I not informed about this upgrade, and why are other Toyota users not informed?

Responses to this review

Can you tell me what upgrade you have done? Thanks - Henry from London

I also exchanged my beloved Toyota Yaris that I bought in 2001 for an abomination that includes an MMT gearbox (Yaris Zinc 07). It’s frustrating to say the least, especially when you want to pull away quickly at a roundabout etc. Never before have I driven a Toyota like it, the garage took it in and said there seemed to be a problem with the gears, and they did a "modification" on the gearbox. It still lurches like a kangaroo in death throes, and as soon as I can afford to, I will be trading it in for something decent. I may even get in touch Mr Adashi CEO Toyota, which I notice that someone else did. I will NEVER buy another Toyota Yaris as long as I live. The automatic indicator doesn’t cancel either. Guess I’m stuck with it for now, but let’s hope that Toyota come down off their high perches and realise what is happening. We can only hope... Joy Smith from Buckinghamshire

I have just started to get problems with this multimode/T-Tronic gear box. When I press the gas pedal in automatic mode the car just labours /goes no where, the rev conter just goes up and up and the car goes no where. I change to manual mode and this makes no difference. When travelling over a round-about it can be quite scary - Brenda Yearwood from Northamptonshire

Toyota Yaris Verso 2001

This car fits smack for the city people like my family. Has lots of space for family of 2 kids. Not too big to park in the tightest spaces and it’s economical to drive. Quality stands out in every aspect : this is my 2nd Yaris Verso and am looking for a 3rd. Never had any problem with these cars. I’ve had one in northern Europe and freezing winters never stopped this car, also in southern Europe where I live now the car I’ve had no problem. Some say it’s ugly but I love it’s looks. It is a great pity the production stopped in 2008.

Responses to this review

Hi Peter, I trust you are well? Many thanks for your post on the Toyota Yaris...I do own one as well. It is an amazing car. It has enough space for the whole family and it does good speeds too. Servicing it is very cheap and it is also fuuel efficient. I have, of late, experienced some problems with mine and I was wondering whether you could be of help. The automatic gears seem to have a problem; when I engage say Drive, it is not able to shift to the higher gears however much I am accelerating. I had to change the Automatic Transmission Fluid but still there is no change. I am now set to have it checked by a mechanic tomorrow. Might you have an idea what the problem might be? Many thanks - Bernard Rono from Kenya

Toyota Hiace 2009

I have been driving the Toyota Hiace since 1987 and this is my 5th one. I have travelled over 500,000 miles, not one of my vans has ever been in the garage other than for its regular service. The fuel consumption may be a bit higher than others but this is a small price to pay.

Toyota Yaris 1.4 D4D 2007

I have had my Yaris from new and it has provided me with 2 years of trouble-free, cheap motoring. It does 50 mpg plus easily while urban driving, 65 mpg, at the least on a long run.

Toyota Yaris TR 2009

As I have never had the pleasure of purchasing a brand new car, I decided to use the scrappage scheme to get rid of my beloved peugoet 306 and buy a Yaris TR . What a mistake. I am truly disappointed. As already mentioned by quite a few people on this site, the gears are absolutely rubbish I am having a lot of trouble getting into 1st and 2nd gear, and worst is trying to go from 3rd to 2nd, what nightmare. I have been driving for nearly 20 years, and I now feel as if I have just passed my test. So instead of looking forward to driving my brand new car, it fills me with dread, as I have already stalled it on numerous occasions, and I am slowly losing my confidence. Will be taking it back to the dealer ASAP.

Responses to this review

I am having the same lurching every time I go up in gears. The garage said they tested the car on the computer and no problems were found. They are charging me £1400 plus VAT and £200 admin fees before they take the car back. On top of that they took my Vauxhall Omega and gave me a measly £1000 part exchange. The sales manager refused to put anything in writing, she often contradicts anything she says on the telephone. I feel they are trying to fob us off or break us down. Please give us your view - Cherryl Howard from Bedfordshire

I have a 2008 SR 1.3. The gear change was rubbish between 1st and 2nd, especially a rolling change down into first (junctions etc). After a couple of visits to Toyota dealer we discovered there was a known issue and a warranty fix (adding a weighted coupling to the gear linkage apparently). It is now fine. Suggest you ask your dealer to check the known issues - Brian from England

Toyota Auris 1.6 TR 2007

I bought Toyota because of it’s legendary built quality. I have found the Auris as follows. Engine - quiet, pulls well - but would be better with 6 gears. Body work - great build quality. Interior - comfortable BUT has a major rattle problem from the front dashboard. It has suffered from a broken front seat! Dealer very polite but have the feeling that they will only replace a broken part but not really interested or have time to investigate an intermittent fault. It is due for a service so I will point out the rattle/creaking noise again and hope for the best.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 3DR 2009

I traded in a beloved 16-year-old Corolla 1.4 XLI under "scrappage." Important to me, the rear space with the seats down in the new Yaris is possibly greater than the old Corolla: not quite so long but deeper, as the seats fold more efficiently. Better mileage but more powerful, as gradient climbing on the A30 in Cornwall soon showed. Quiet engine, sharp steering. Lots of adjustment in the driving position, and not many cars suit my long back and relatively short limbs. My main whinge is getting used to the extra features including the extra gear, the A/C and the digital dash display. I don’t think I could have picked better for the price.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

I have been a driving instructor for 30 years and go through cars quite quickly. I have had many makes and the last year had a Yaris 1.3 original shape. It was ok though the gearbox was very clonky and car generally noisy. I traded it in the 2008 SR and I have to agree with the points made about the gearbox, clutch and brakes on the new Yaris, yes what a truly awful car in just about every aspect. I have had a few courtesy cars on the various visits to the helpful but incapable Toyota dealer and they were just as bad to varying degrees. Please trust me, I know the difference between a good car and a bad car when it comes to driving. The Corsa, Clio and Mini I have had were far superior to this very disappointing offering from what used to be a competent manufacturer. Will not be buying another Toyota for the foreseeable future. The Clio was the best car to drive and was very reliable contrary to popular myth. However, the dealers seem unhelpful at times. Mix Renault with Toyota and you may have a better result.

Responses to this review

I had a Clio and it was the worst car I ever had, so when I got rid of it I got another Toyota. I had Corollas before and Yaris before and they were very good cars, so I got another Yaris this time and it is great too. I could not find any fault with it even if I tried - Maria from Northern Ireland

Toyota Yaris TR Diesel 2008

I purchased my Toyota Yaris TR Diesel in July 2008. Since then I have noticed that the front wheel tyres are wearing on one side as though the tracking is constantly at fault. However, the tracking has been checked and I was informed by the garage that this is a fault with the Yaris. As with all my previous cars I would expect at least 20000 miles from the tyres but in the light of this problem I doubt whether I will get 8000 miles from the tyres. This of course, needless to say, is totally unacceptable. I would be interested to hear if other Yaris owners have experienced similar problems.

Responses to this review

With regards to the tyres wearing on one side, I have had the same thing happen with my Yaris D4D 2007. It went in for the 2nd year service at 20k miles and the report showed 'inner edge 2.5 mm outer edge 1mm wear.' Not very impressed as the car has only covered 6200 miles, surely this must be wrong? I was told to keep an eye on the problem!? - John Westover from England

As a follow up to my previous comments; I took the car to a local tyre shop, where they checked the tracking (no charge) and informed me it was "well out." I am going to ring the main dealer on monday as I am not happy that, whilst the service was being carried out, they did nothing to check WHY the front tyres were wearing out - John Westover from England

Toyota iQ 2009

Took one for a test drive, good fun, can’t help thinking its a 2+2... but then I’m 6’1... would almost consider it as a run around... But!!!!!!!!!! Price...????? Way way over priced for what it is.... have to agree with previous post, £8000 max. At the end of the day how much engineering do you need in a car this size? Running 2 Toyota’s at the moment, have owned many over the years but the newer one’s tend to have more problems due to the so called engineering... thought that is true of most makes of car...

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

This is my eleventh new Toyota having previously owned 6 Corolla’s, 1 Avensis, 2 Starlets and now 2 Yaris’s. I use these as fleet cars covering up to 35000 miles per year. All cars have been totally trouble free until sold at around 135000 miles. My 05 Yaris 1ltr blue was no exception have covered 57000 in 2.5 years - needed no recalls or repairs. The only annoyance was engaging reverse from a standstill. The 08 Yaris TR is even better faster, roomier and trouble free at the current 38000 miles. 46 to a gallon. 1 minor comment: the rear bumper plastic mounts have proved a bit flimsy as a car park knock has left bits of broken plastic on the tarmac. Buy another? Yes, for the job this is used for, for myself, no I prefer my BMW 330 Sport and Porsche 911.

Responses to this review

Of course a BMW 330 and a Porsche do compare pretty much directly to a Toyota Yaris... Steve from Warwickshire

Toyota iQ Top spec manual 2009

Having put Toyotas perky little urban runabout to the test, I have to say that the only cloud on the horizon is the one threatening a deluge of dreadful puns. Perhaps they were asking for it by calling their car IQ. Starter for ten: why IQ? Well, it shows how clever its designers have been for one thing; for another, it shows how smart its owners must be in choosing the IQ over its rivals in this market niche. Not only that, you might argue that any car with ABS, EBD, TRC, GCSE (and bar) on offer, is well on the way to becoming a little mastermind all on its own. Don't worry if you can't decipher all those acronyms. Taken together, they simply mean that Toyotas bright sparks have been `hard at it` to provide a vehicle that smoothes away its owners worry lines - no need for Botox here. All the serious thinking has been done for you already. `Smart` isn't the word - literally - if you see what I mean. To get down to basics, the boffins at Toyota have asked themselves just what todays `here, there and everywhere` motorist really requires of a contemporary, no-fuss vehicle with economy, ease and space-saving functionalism as priorities. In a climate of concern, both environmentally and economically, it makes sense to downsize - not least because the grossly proportioned gas-guzzlers at the so called top end of the market are, more and more, attracting scorn; not admiration, with their appearances radiating all the stylishness of a shell suit stretched over a barrage balloon. Want to look `the business` today? Then look sensible. Look as though you have a rational brain. Think like a philosopher. Say to yourself: `I drive; therefore I am not an idiot. ` My choice will be - well, why not an IQ? Start with its looks. Yes, it does share a family resemblance to its competitors. But that's car design for you. Try to stand out too far in a crowd and you can end up looking like an Edsel, which as the initiated will know, is just another name for a prat. So, all cars partake of the form applicable to their time, if one may do violence to another clever thinker called Plato. (Your reviewer apologises for all these intellectual references: perhaps IQ is contagious). Of its kind, the Toyota IQ certainly, impresses. It has a cheeky charm. You look at it and smile. Most important, you want to get behind the wheel. Yes, you do. Another test to try: park the IQ anywhere where people are likely to be. Wait for a few moments. You won't have to wait for long. It's rather like being the owner of a particularly appealing pet. People come up, smile, say `Aaah! ` And want to take it home. So, the IQ quite decisively passes its SATS test: that is its STATIONARY ATTRACTIVENESS TARGET, for those unfamiliar with the jargon. Now open the door, climb in and take the IQ for a practical examination. How far does it tickle your fancy? It's really meant to be a two-seater most of the time, but when you do have to take two six-foot passengers (and you really can), they don't have to adopt yoga positions. But there's no room for anymore luggage than four toothbrushes and seven ham sandwiches with four aboard. Rear passengers must ensure that they wear cargo pants if going shopping in one of these. (Put down the seats though and there's room for the two of you and your pet hippopotamus). I tested all this by taking my six foot son and his pal Corpulent Christopher on a twenty mile trip. Settled on luxurious leather seats, not a murmur of discontent was heard as we bowled along the motorway absolutely effortlessly in a quiet cocoon that is truly remarkable for a small car: next to no wind noise, no rumbles, no buzzing from that little 1000cc three cylinders, 68bhp engine that would bring credit to a Swiss watch maker. And to cap it all there is absolutely no halitosis from the exhaust. Fragrantly fresh, the pollution levels are so low that the Ministry of Eternal Interference awards it such high status that no road tax is payable. This, of course, is positively shocking, since IQ owners are not paying their dues to the public purse. (A copy of this test will go straight to The Chancellor who will, no doubt, cleverly devise other ways to make these wicked pollution evaders pay. Hit `em hard, I say. Tax the `fun` element.). ` Oh! But it will obviously suffer from asthma and huff and puff up hills` I hear you say. Well, I'm pleased to report that it's as lively as a cricket: You don't have to thrash it to make it go: it just does; so consequently fuel consumption is good at around 62/63 mpg overall. There's a downside, of course, to all this magical packaging and cutting edge engineering constructed to the very highest standards, with its super safety courtesy of lots of airbags. Quite simply, it costs lots of money. Prices start at £9495 for the base model, rising to a breathtaking £11495 for the Multi Drive (Auto.) model with lots of extra kit. However, since I've mentioned philosophers earlier, I must continue in that vein and rationalise that one doesn't get a single malt whiskey for the same price as a Tesco blend, if you see what I mean. In town where it will spend much time, it out- zips most small cars and will turn on a sixpence - but strangely, it's out and about on the open road where you really appreciate this little gem. It reminded me of the fun I had in the original Mini when Queen Victoria was on the throne. It's a fun podule of the first order that whizzes along quietly, smoothly and briskly - and believe it or not, those Toyota magicians have even managed to make it ride like a bigger car. Perhaps I should have realised that the best has to cost and shouldn't have jibbed at the price after all. I've started, so now I'll finish....

Toyota Yaris D4D MMT 2006

Overall not a bad little car, very good ride for it’s size. The MMT gearbox takes a little getting used to but so far has performed well. Not as economical as Toyota would have you believe but that’s true of most cars. I have suffered a few niggles, failed alternator at 31k, seat handle broken, have just had 3rd windscreen put in... Is that bad luck or are they getting thinner? Air con appears to need regassing after 2 years. So overall, recommended.

Responses to this review

Regarding the air conditioning needing re-gassing after 2 years, all a/c fitted cars seem to need this at anytime between 2 and 3 years so your experience is not that unusual. I have had no niggles in either of the two Yaris models that I have had - not even a light buld needing replacing! Forgive me for suggesting this, but is the vehicle regularly serviced by a competant mechanic? James Walker from Lancashire

Toyota Yaris 5 door 2009

I too purchased one of these abominations. I previously had the Yaris T Spirit which was really a great little car, large car feel and motored well, very easy to park, handling was good, the automatic unit compared to normal automatics of 5 years ago was slightly unpredictable... However no real complaints, so I upgraded to the latest Yaris... Big Mistake, far and away worst move I have made in my motoring life of 40 years, the auto and preselect gearbox for this new Yaris are appalling in every conceivable way. Before you consider buying it... drive it for at least 15 minutes. I am off to exchange it tomorrow on its 7th day with me... to hell with the cost, my nerves are more important.

Responses to this review

I totally agree with everyone who has had a problem with their Toyota Yaris. I bought a Toyota Yaris SR 2009 in May 2009 and by July 2009 I have had nothing but problems. It has constantly broken down, been repaired 4 times by the Toyota dealer and they can’t find the problem. New this and that has been fitted but still the problem is there. I say to anybody - go and purchase a car that can be reliable - Maureen Clarke from London

I am also hating the MMT 2009 Yaris. I bought it on the scrappage scheme, trading it in for my beloved ten year old automatic Corolla, which still drove like a dream. I am rueing the day I did this. Definitely the worst car I have ever bought, and the first time I have bought a new one - I thought it would see me through several years, but I am not sure I can handle it much longer. The constant lurching at low speeds as it changes gear at the most bizarre and inappropriate moments really does make me nauseous. And does anyone else find the braking unpredictable. Sometimes too sharp, sometimes nothing there. How did the exchange for a new car go? Did they make any concessions for your dissatisfaction? I am considering doing the same - Maggy Sasanow from Oxfordshire

Toyota Yaris 2009

What a load of old c**p that guy is talking! I have driven a Yaris for the past ten years and have had no problems at all. I found them excellent, in fact a very reliable little car. I am about to purchase another and I certainly wouldn’t drive anything else. I’ve had French cars previously which were a load of tinny rubbish.

Responses to this review

I didn’t know that the Yaris had been out for for ten years? Peter Kenrick from Yorkshire

Toyota Yaris SR 1.3 2008

Had this car a year, nothing good to say about it at all, OK... you can get out of it! How anyone in their right mind can say it is a good car astonishes me. Over rated by people who do not know what a good car is like to drive. Gearbox, clutch, brakes all dreadful beyond words, and that is just the start. The only thing it has not yet done is break down but it feels like it will do soon. If you have any sense DO NOT BUY! Go for a Ford, Vauxhall, VW, Mazda, Renault, Honda... FORGET TOYOTA if you know what is good for you!

Toyota Yaris 2008

I bought my Yaris in september 2008 and am really pleased with it - or was! An annoying squeak which has driven me mad since purchase and which when I asked about it turns out to be a fault that cannot be remedied! It appears to be something to do with the air con and appears at 3000 revs (about 40 miles an hour). This means that it is there most of the time ! Given that Toyota knew about it why did they not tell me! recall would have been a good idea.The excuse was that only some models have this! anyone else noticed this?

Responses to this review

I found there was a whistling noise, it turned out to be the gap in the drivers door mirror. Filled it with rubber compound - Jules Hunt from England

Toyota Corolla Estate 2004

I have owned my Corolla Estate for just over three years now, this is the best car I have ever owned, very reliable and comfortable. The security is fantastic as the doors actually double lock. All door windows are electric and electric mirrors. This car handles very well on the road, loads of luggage space, also has split rear seats very handy, has been very useful over the years. All in all, if you need a decent versatile vehicle that is a stunner to look at this is the one for you. There is not that many good looking estate cars out there but this one is nice!!

Toyota Prius T Spirit 2007

I bought this car less than two years ago. I recently decided to ask how much I could expect for a part exchange to the new model (main Toyota dealer). My loss over 18 months was £10000. My car had 12000 miles from new. If this is Toyota then for me its thank you but no thank you.

Toyota Camry 1998

I bought the Camry last year (2008) for the princely sum of £350 with 124000 on the lock. Cost £150 to get it through MOT. It’s great to drive. The auto box is smooth. The car has a luxury feel with full leather, electric every thing and it all works which must be testament to Toyota engineering. Makes a nice subdued growl when floored and it is fast. Only criticism is that it is quite boring to look at. Could do with a spoiler to jazz it up. For the money, it’s excellent value.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Petrol 5-speed Manual 2008

I bought a 1.3 petrol Yaris about 1 year ago. 5-speed manual. We have done about 11000 miles in it so far in Christchurch, New Zealand (similar conditions to England). No problems at all with the car, except for a bit of free play on the clutch pedal (not worth fixing). The clutch doesn’t judder and no problems with the gearbox, easy to engage all gears. Toyota dealer in Christchurch has been very good, although I haven’t needed them to actually fix anything. We use the car for round-town family transport for a family of 4, although we live about 3 miles out of town so it gets driven at 65mph each time we go out. For the size of car there is a lot of space, especially in the back with the rear seats back. This is how we leave the car all the time. Boot space is very small but will fit the kids school bags or some groceries. This model is only sold with 1.3 or 1.5 petrol engine in New Zealand (with limited run of the 1.8 sports model). The 1.3 petrol is OK, with powerband between 3000 and 6,000 rpm. It’s actually OK for overtaking on open road as long as you shift down to 3rd and keep the revs up. Below 3000rpm there isn’t much torque but the engine is smooth and OK for driving quietly around town below 3000 rpm. Despite some earlier comments here, handling is relatively good compared to other small cars and ride is quite good, overall a good compromise IMO. A sports car it ain’t, but if you want a shopping trolley or economic small family car that still has some room, I’ve found it to be quite good.

Toyota Aygo Platinum 2008

Bought car May last year. I thought it was a great little car until May this year then found water sloshing around the passengers footwell. It was retuned to dealers who fitted a new door seal, do not know if it is cured as we have very little rain. I am very surprised Toyota have let this problem go on so long when it is quite a well known problem. Will not be buying another!

Toyota Aygo Sport 2005

Not doing so well, bought the car from a leasing company with 9,388 on the clock. I have had to have the light reset for the air-bag and I have just hit 10510 miles and the engine has now locked on me and am now in a battle to get the garage to pay for the repair.

Responses to this review

I have only done 7,000 miles in my Aygo, black, year 2006, now the airbag light has flashed and is costing £260.00 to get fixed - Nina Taylor from Cheshire

Toyota Hiace petrol 2.7litre 2001

The Toyota Hiace is a great van. In 8 years of ownership no repairs other than normal maintenance have been needed. The only thing it falls down on is the front suspension ball joints which seem to wear very quickly. However, some MOT inspectors will fail on this and some will not because the weight of the van takes up the play.

Toyota Auris 1.6 MMT 2008

The Auris is a great car - no problems with my Auris.

Toyota Aygo 2008

The Toyota Aygo with Variable Selection (Auto/Manual) is a neat, nippy number which serves all of my purposes very well. It may look small, but it is surprisingly roomy in the back. I’ve had my son who is six feet plus and his partner in the back and they did not complain at the shortage of leg room. The boot can be quite spacious too, as long as no one is sitting in the back seats. By that I mean that to get any bulky item in the car, the back seats need to be put in the flat position. Then ample space is provided for. The car is a dream to drive, the only negative point I feel, is that when going up a steep hill, the car doesn’t have the power to climb easily. Other than that it is a dream drive. Very economical, about 61 mpg and that can’t be sneezed at in these economic conditions. Easy on the road tax and insurance group too. It also has a good sound system, which is important to me as I do like my music when I drive. I have have had no problems with reliability, always starts first time of asking. The security of the car can’t be faulted. To conclude, it is a neat, nippy number, economical on the pocket and easy on the ears. I’ve had the car over one year and no complaints from me.

Toyota Prius T4 2007

This is not a drivers car, but with today’s traffic that’s not important. It’s a very relaxing car to drive in the rush hour, good sound system, and quiet. Economy depends on length of journeys, the weather, whether it is very hilly, and obviously speed. On my daily commute I get 60mpg in summer, 55 in winter. I’ve never averaged below 50 on a tank, even with motorways.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 SR 2009

A classic example of cynical manipulation of the tax system. Create a car that can return less than 120g on the formal test cycle but which has virtually no usable power in normal use. So it has to be drive incredibly hard and delivers none of the advertised savings in the real world. There is simply no power at all below 3000 rpm. The 1.33 engine is fairly quiet at tickover but raucous in normal use. Also not that economical, returning about 35 mpg, and in that respect no advance over the earlier 1.3 Gearchange now much improved over earlier models and now merely poor. The crazy boot arrangement has been changed by removing the false floor so now the floor area has a large lip in it! Other Yaris traits remain, poor build quality and rattling trim, scattered unlit controls, still no heated mirrors. Spec is now even lower than before. Very easy to get 20% plus discounts and even at that price this is not a good buy.

Toyota Prius T4 2009

I rented one of these cars for a weekend. It is so different from the norm that a 30 minute test drive proves nothing. This is not a driver’s car - if you want feel and dynamic handling then look elsewhere. For fuel economy though it is pretty good. I averaged 53mpg on a mix of driving. Round town averaged about 57 (though very thirsty on a cold engine). Motorway MPG is a very disappointing 40. I think the acceleration is deceptive - because it is so smooth and there is no link between road speed and engine revs you are accelerating much quicker than you realise. I enjoyed our weekend together and the car has a lot of good points but I don’t think I will be buying one.

Toyota Aygo 2006

I bought the Aygo Sport edition March 2006 from brand new for reliability after countless problems with my Peugeot 206. Problems this car has had: - Large puddles of water in the passenger footwell when it rains -- Needed a replacement exhaust after it was hanging off (although the rude sales man laughed it off and just said I needed a silencer at first) - Countless new tyres although my mileage is not excessive - When it’s windy because it’s tall but light it gets blown from lane to lane - Latest problem is I can’t get it into gear without using all my force, really dangerous when it’s motorway driving. Like someone else has said it is easy on petrol and tax (my annual tax is �35) but when you have to pay for regular new tyres it isn’t such an economical choice.

Responses to this review

What you describe regarding the problem with your Aygo’s gears sounds exactly like the problem I’ve been having so I would be extremely grateful if you could let me know what you eventually found to be the cause. I am dreading to have to replace the clutch so I guess I’m hoping the problem might not be as serious. I was supposed to go and see my daughter today but couldn’t get there in the end. When I tried to drive off after stopping at a traffic light, no amount of force would allow me to get into 1st gear. Eventually I had to nurse my car back home all the way in third gear and lots of scary moments - Jurie Gryffenberg from London

Toyota Corolla Verso 1.8 T3 2005

Have this family car on a 4 year lease. Comes to an end later this year. Have had no problems at all - Solid, reliable car and have used the 3rd row of seats on quite a few occasions. Ideal for kids. One word of warning - the cover over the boot is a right pain to take out when you use the 3rd row. When I went to car showrooms, I did wonder why this was seldom in place. The only other bug bear is the poor turning circle - not great. One extra I would recommend is the Rear Parking Sensors - makes parking very easy. Really going to miss this car when the lease is up. Will I get another - perhaps.

Toyota Aygo Toyota Black 2006

For the amount you pay and for what you get the Toyota Aygo is value for money. Although there’s major cut backs on the inside, at least it’s an honest car, and what you see is what you get, unlike the Yaris which to mean just seems cheap and nasty for a more expensive price. I think the only downside is the engine. The Aygo is not designed for motorways or even steep hills, you’ll be forced into second just to get some power out of it, and hill starts are a nightmare. For what it’s designed for, the school run, weekend shopping, and cheap city transport it’s excellent and you really couldn’t go wrong.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

Dreadful in almost every respect. Has a fair degree of space but can’t be regarded as a true four seater as the boot is so poor. Bodywork OK but inconsistent shut lines and paint below average. Ridiculous ride and handling compromise, it has taken real skill to build something that handles so badly and yet rides so poorly too. Extremely poor seats with little adjustment. Noisy and unrefined engine delivers very little in the way of performance and yet is thirsty. Really poor gear change and snatchy clutch. Not particularly reliable and dealers rarely deliver a first time fix or anything notable in the way of service. Would not recommend.

Toyota Aygo 2006

I bought my Aygo in March 06 since then it has caused nothing but problems! It is now in the garage for the 5th time due to a water leak in both passenger front and rear footwells and the boot. It has also been in for a new boot lock, 2 new radiators a new clutch, 2 full sets of tires and brakes!!!! This car is nothing but a nightmare and I would NEVER recommend an Aygo or Toyota ever again. It’s such an inconvenience both to me and the fact I now have a 16 week old daughter who is having to be driven around in a damp, smelly car!!! It’s rubbish.

Toyota Yaris 2008

I’ve replaced my ’54 reg. Yaris diesel manual with an ’09 reg. Yaris diesel MMT (auto with 6 gears). I’m very pleased with the vehicle and gearbox. I read the reports here and so was unsure whether the MMT was a good idea. However, it works well with the diesel engine. The gearbox can still be used as a manual and I find this necessary for overtaking. Otherwise the auto mode makes life very easy.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

Shocking little car, a triumph of hype over ability. Badly thought out and badly designed, noisy engine needs to be thrashed to keep up with traffic and then burns enormous amounts of fuel and oil. Badly designed interior and acres of cheap plastic lead to creaks and rattles from new. Poor load space, sliding rear seat means minuscule boot and some rear leg room or no leg room and small boot! Gearbox poor, snatchy clutch now so commonplace it is regarded by Toyota dealers as a feature. And a great urban myth is that Toyota dealers care in any way for customers. They don’t - in any way whatsoever! Avoid - there are many many better small cars and almost all cost less.

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2003

On my second Avensis now - great car, great looks, plenty of gadgets inside. Albeit road noise at certain speeds... but apart from that very comfortable, safe and a great family car... no regrets.

Toyota Yaris Yaris TR 1.3 2008

Bought car with 2800 miles and wondered why a private owner would sell so quickly. Perhaps the gearbox. This one has all the clutch / gearbox faults already mentioned PLUS it touches another gear when entering fifth gear. If rolling back on a slight incline in first the gear locks & the only way to release it is to drive forwards a little.Toyota dealer in Aberdeen has replaced clutch & gearbox parts & after contacting Toyota they have agreed there is a problem which they are working on. A good car spoiled. I hope they do something soon.

Responses to this review

After umpteen visits to Aberdeen agents, who have been very good, they on my persistance have checked out the clutch settings e.g. grip points etc., and the car is now better but still graunchy on selecting 1st and still jamming in first and reverse if you let the car’s weight roll it still in gear with the clutch fully depressed. I have not heard of anyone else with this problem? - Jack Blease from Aberdeenshire

Toyota Hiace 2.4 diesel 2001

Had this van new from 2001. Very reliable van, no problems at all. Made much better than Fords,Vauxhall etc... Engine inside this van is made to last, same engine as used in the Hilux pick up truck they tried to destroy in Top Gear but couldn’t. Also this van is massive in Africa and Asia as it just keeps on going. Buy a Hiace if you want a super workhorse.

Toyota Auris 1.6 TR 2007

Full of rattles and squeaks. Needed new clutch after 15000 miles. Has had TWO replacement power steering motors. Fuel economy dropped noticeably after 1st service. Replaced gear lever gaitor (old one squeaked). Front passenger seat belt receptacle mounting squeaks - replaced once, now has to be lubricated as replacement also squeaked. I would NOT recommend this car to anyone.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

As I said in my earlier post we would try and get another SR when the facelift model came out, however now having seen one, they don’t have the 16" wheels and don’t look as good so we went for the slightly cheaper TR model to replace our older colour collection. Jim Walton in Penrith had a ex demo that had been in his showroom since January that had very low mileage and looked like brand new. We got a very good trade in price so a deal was quickly made, a roof spoiler fitted and we now have the SR and TR in our lane. So far it seems fine, as good as the SR in every respect except for the gear change. It feels like it stirring porridge and nearly always crunches going from first to second. maybe its newness and needs time to settle in. Maybe its the way we both drive it, seems odd when the SR doesn’t do it, however another great little car and if the problem persists then I’m sure Jim Walton will soon sort it out for us. Just for the record we only lost £3000 on the older car that we part-exchanged in - in over three and a half years. They really do hold their value well.

Responses to this review

Just a quick update to our first report on our Yaris TR and its gearbox problems (20/4/2009). I got back in touch with our dealer (Jim Walton in Penrith) shortly after we had taken delivery and told them of the problems we were having - ie, crunching from 1st to 2nd. James in the service department told me he had not heard of any such problems but would look into it and let me know but for now just put up with it until he could sort out a solution. A few months went by and then one morning he rang to say that Toyota had sorted the problem and that it would be fixed. After a three hour visit and new gear selector shafts all is well. I don’t think there is a general recall but just go and see your dealer. No problem at all now - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Further to my earlier reports on 16/01/2009 and 20/04/2009, both cars have been recalled for the accelerator fix although we have had no problem at all. Both cars were booked into Jim Walton in Penrith, the work took about an hour and included full safety checks, valet and washed off. They even topped up the engine oil in my SR. Both were ready and gleaming when we called back for them. Top marks to Toyota for the prompt action and to Jim Walton and staff - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Toyota Aygo Platinum 2008

I bought my Aygo last August and don’t have many complaints about it. No faults at least, but the cutting cost measures done by Toyota do irritate me at times. Such as only having the courtesy light from the driver’s door, not having lighting on the electric windows (have to fumble around in the dark for the buttons), the courtesy light does not illuminate when you unlock the car, getting the advertised mpg is tricky - or at least my driving style doesn’t allow me 60mpg more like 35-51mpg! It varies so much simply because if you drive under 70mph it is fine the moment you take it over that it gets very thirsty! However it is not designed for speeding; obviously. The air conditioning likes petrol too - at a level that you would expect. I bought this car mainly because I wanted something that wouldn’t cost me much to insure but also I wanted some modern touches (eg mp3 jack), leather (like) seats, would be cheap to run and look okay - albeit a little girly. I didn’t mind paying a little bit more for it in the purchase price, even though I think I got a good deal at just under £8k including all the normal dealership things: tax disc, some petrol, rubber floor mats. Now with this recession I would think it is worth about 5p though! I didn’t get the bluetooth extra as I was told it was the same as the Halfords version, only £200 more expensive and has a Toyota emblem on it! I didn’t bother to get the Halfords one because after using my satnav bluetoothed with my phone I decided it was pointless. The person you are talking with can’t hear you if you are going over 50mph! I have done about 12500 miles in it, in just under 9 months and I have never needed to take it to the garage for any problems. It had its 10000 miles service a little while ago and nothing was flagged up. I think I will have to change the front tires in about 2000 miles time though. Very narrow tires are not so good for going fast round corners even if you feather the accelerator as you still lose rubber. It will only cost around £60 for two new tires so I am not too bothered - yes continental tires, I wouldn’t buy any of the Chinese tires that are on the market - very dangerous in the wet. I like the sound of the exhaust I sometimes get surprised looks when they see it isn’t a better, faster car. You can tell as they turn enthusiastically to look at the car making the decent sounding noise but then when they see the girly car: apathetic disappointment look on their faces. After they see what it was they don’t think that your car was worthy of the look. I wouldn’t buy anything in this price bracket other than a manual gear box.

Toyota Picnic 2.0 petrol 1997

Yep, got to agree. I bought a used one, having previously owned an expensive VW Sharan (Galaxy). The Sharan was great to drive but incredibly unreliable. It cost me nearly £20,000 in servicing/repair bills during its lifetime. And the fuel consumption was dismal. I got the Picnic in the hope that it would provide similar practicality on a budget and it hasn’t disappointed. The 6 seat layout is great and unique in an MPV of its size. It is so much more convenient to let kids climb in and walk to the rear seats through the gap in the centre row, rather than having to tip the centre seats forward all the time. It has been utterly reliable and very economical. Only problem is the engine is worn out at 140,000 miles (lots of small trips). I can’t find any modern MPV to replace it. Even the Avensis Verso doesn’t live up to it. So I’ve bought a low mileage engine which I’ll install when the existing one expires.

Toyota Yaris 2008

Absolutely love the car, except for the gear box. I am having difficulty with 3rd and 4th gears. The problem is intermittent and tends to happen when the car has warmed up. Sometimes I can’t get it in 3rd gear and have to quickly put it into 2nd and 4th gear is very notchy and you think it’s in 4th but there’s one notch to go. I have only done 1000 miles so far. I thought it was my driving that was the problem until I started to research and found all the other complaints. I have taken it back to the dealers twice and each time they have said that they cannot find anything wrong. I am so disappointed and it has totally taken the enjoyment out of having a new car away. I prefer to drive my son’s X reg Clio and now wish that I’d spent £1000 on a car instead of £10,000!

Toyota Aygo Sport 2006

We bought this car as a city run around at the same time as buying a Mazda 6 estate. In terms of meeting and exceeding expectations between the two cars then the Aygo wins hands down. Not that the Mazda is a bad car, just that I expected more from it. The ride can be a bit hard, the boot button release sticks and I’m going to have to change the front brake discs and pads after just 18K miles but apart from that the Aygo is a great car to drive.

Toyota Yaris 2009

Traded down from a Corolla to the Yaris and not disappointed. I expected this to be a "tinnier" car than the Corolla but pleasantly surprised. Still a nice roomy car and adequate for the annual mileage I cover. Excellent mpg even with only 1500 miles on clock. The gears were initially awkward to engage (2nd & 3rd) but even this seems to be easing now - perhaps the warmer weather helps (I took delivery in January). A good little car.

Toyota Picnic gls 2000

I completely agree. I’ve had two, one from 1993 to 1995 (R Reg) when it got carried away in the same floods that did for Carlisle, so I got another! V reg. Its remarkably good to drive, smooth and comfortable, very reliable, and no rattles or clanks even at 90k miles, and virtually no rust at 10 years. The room in the 6 seater is ideal for transporting teenagers and twenty-somethings - no fights over seats. Dad’s taxi...

Toyota Aygo 2006

We had our Aygo for just a year, when we first got it it had 15000 miles on the clock and already it had bald tyres, which incidentally Gordon Lamb who we purchased the car from, failed to notice and sent us away with them when we bought it. Since then it has had to have the passenger side leaking door seal replaced, as it was leaking water into the car, the clutch was replaced at 19000 miles and an ’updated version ’ put in, then two weeks ago the radiator and water pump decided to pack in, leaking pink coolant all over the inside bonnet... the engine on the Aygo is good as its Toyota, the rest I’m afraid is rubbish, we went for Toyota as we had had a Carina E for thirteen years and it only ever needed routine maintenance and a radiator, in all that time. The fact that the three companies have tried to keep down costs is obvious as the car parts are substandard. It may be cheaper to run , with petrol and tax but you end up paying much much more on repairs and tyres. We now have a Mitsubishi, Toyota you just lost a customer.

Responses to this review

My wife has a Mitsi CZ1 5dr, never gone wrong. I have never found anyone with a fault on one, it is more German than a polo, all the testing was done on the smart car, which is what it is. ’Which?’ mag says "An unusual supermini choice but certainly not a bad one" - Paul Norbury from Lancashire

Toyota Yaris .5 gas 5 door LE

OK...I don’t live in Wales but I have family there... I’m from Winnipeg Canada... it gets colder than hell here (-40c for weeks on end) and my new Yaris has been flawless. My only complaint is the tires it came with are nearly useless in the snow. It is March 29th and we had about 30 cm in the past couple of weeks so I have had to leave the Yaris in the garage. Once the snow is packed (or melted) it’s OK though. I average 38 mpg imperial (city) and 45 imperial mpg (highway). I have the automatic transmission. We use it for running to and from the cottage (250 km east) every weekend when we can get away.

Toyota iQ iQ2 2008

Positives: Excellent build quality, good safety rating, 0 tax bracket. Negatives: The mpg sucks in real driving environments; no where near manufacturers figures.

Toyota Aygo Blue 2008

I bought my car Sept 2008. I had two months before my granddaughter told me that the boot would not lock!!!! I had never checked it as I thought that it would be locked when I pressed the key. I had only checked the doors!! The garage told me that a wire had never been connected to lock!! Then a few weeks ago my passenger floor was wet after it had rained. Back to the garage in Cliftonmoor, York. 12th of March 09 I was asked "Had I been parking it with the two left side wheel on the pavement!!!!!!!!" Of course I had not, but even if I had it should not leak in. The man that fixed it for me said that it was a reported fault!!! While I was there I met a friend who told me that her same car was in as the glove box kept falling open. I wish that I had looked on the internet before I bought it!!!!!! My other car was a Yaris Verso and was OK.

Toyota Picnic glx auto 1997

I agree, I have lots of cars but this one is really good for families. Reliable, fuel consumption is OK but going to be green dreamers car. Lots of space inside, comfortable and easy to drive. OK, it is not a stylish motor but hey, its a good work-horse and will be a faithful servant. Auto box is easy to use on stick/column gear change. I have seen motors with over 200,000 miles and still going strong. I’d buy one of these again before buying another people carrier. Its a no frills reliable motor.

Toyota iQ 2008

£9500 - £11000 for an iQ - are Toyota are having a laugh? For similar money you can buy a Fiat 500 multijet which is quicker, more economical, better spec. etc... and most certainly better looking. Anyone paying those prices must have fallen out of their tree. OK, the 500 is marginally longer - so what? If you don’t want the car of the moment why not try a panda for half the money? I’ve had a 500 for a year and the build quality is bullet proof. Get real Toyota - £8000 list max??????

Responses to this review

Why write a report which appears to be completely based on a perusal of the Toyota price list and a need to justify your purchase of a Fiat 500? - Donna from England

Fiat 500 better! You are having a laugh. For starters the 500 is small inside and cramped. It has all the unpfft of a comatose snail. It costs for me £400 less but I get more for my money and the IQ is quicker with better handling. The insurance is cheaper, fuel consumption is better and the customer service from Toyota is so much more friendly and professional. The Fiat 500 is a car that tries to sell some retro chic and fails miserably. The IQ is modern efficient and looks great and defines its own style while the Fiat 500 tries to recreate something from a historical design icon and fails really badly. Kieran Rose from England

Have to agree with Kieran. Although I’m sure the 500 is a nice car. The iQ has more style. I also am not a fan of retro. Can you imagine if they made a retro mobile phone. It would be the size of a brick. You could also buy the Aston Martin Cygnet based on the iQ. Aston did not choose the 500, they chose the Toyota. This is saying something for the iQ, in that it’s very special - M Lewis from England

Toyota Yaris 1.4 SR Petrol 2008

I absolutely despair! Having had to upgrade from my awful brand new Aygo for many reasons and because I was on a finance deal, I can honestly say how completely disappointed I am with my Yaris SR. From new the gears have been difficult, 1st and reverse mainly. I get water running down the inside of the windscreen in cold weather. The engine is not that quiet and doesn’t start very well, though so far it has always started. The handling in the recent snowy weather was terrible and I found it difficult to get grip on even a slight incline. The brakes have been making a roaring noise just like normal car brakes make when rust builds up on the discs but the dealer says this is normal!!! The car was in my main dealers for a week while they tried to diagnose all the problems. They changed the clutch which is no better, the gearbox now crunches every time I go into 2nd gear in the morning despite the dealer changing the oil to a thinner special oil. They did fix the engine squeak by replacing the belts... it has only done 3500 miles! If I could sell the car or get my money back I would. I just cannot understand how Toyota has every got its reputation for good cars. I want my Renault Clio 1.6 back, at least if worked and when parts were replaced, it still worked! And it never broke down or failed to start. There are many other faults with the Yaris but there is simply not enough room here to list them. The dealer has tried hard but Toyota have failed even harder. I will never buy another Toyota and can’t believe the people who love them... doesn’t make sense. Sorry, but having had 2 Toyota’s in less than 4 months, I give up hope. If I could give it NO stars I would but this site doesn’t allow such a low rating.

Responses to this review

The water running down the windscreen is called condensation. Most cars probably suffer from this from time to time, since it’s a law of physics. If I trusted any manufacturer to work out a way to defy the laws of physics, it certainly wouldn’t be Renault. I know this because I own a Clio and mine does it from time to time - Rob from England

Toyota Aygo Aygo Blue 2008

Guess I’m luckier than others, the Aygo has been out in the worst of weather this winter, snow, torrential rain etc. for months because garage is full - no leaks, no problems with icing. MMT gearbox is superb in auto (best if throttle slightly relaxed when change expected or not rushed anyway). If in a hurry use manual mode where it’s great fun to drive and the engine is really revvy. It doesn’t change down to 1st in auto mode until about 1mph which is perfect. Getting over 55mpg every fill up. Cheap to run, tax and insure - this is a great little car. Highly recommended.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Purchased my second Aygo in September and have had nothing but problems. Carpets have been replaced with the reassurance that the problem had been solved and guess what... It is back in the garage again tomorrow morning with water in both front wells and carpets soaking wet. I have also had problems with the inside freezing up inside. The car smells like a rotting damp sponge - would not buy or recommend Toyota - I wish I never bought one.

Toyota Prius 2007

Gets much worse fuel economy than other diesel variants available with a quarter of the power. Also, on electric its much easier to hear people yelling out "fag" as you drive through towns. All in all its not green in the least.

Toyota Hiace 102bhp D4D, Twin side loading doors 2002

Always had Mercedes, but went over to Toyota. Brilliant van, comfortable and economical (25 -29mpg fully loaded). I actually like the basic simplicity of the van, as a mobile mechanic it is very easy to keep interior clean with out the worry of damaging electrics. Also the van is robust and it’s rear wheel drive!! If you carry heavy loads, you’ve got to own a rear wheel drive van. Another little feature is the 2 position tail gate struts, allows you to raise the tailgate out of the way, which you can’t do on a Vito. Brilliant, no-nonsense van.

Toyota Hilux 2008

It’s every boys dream, whether they like to admit it or not, to drive a pick-up. Partly inspired by "living the American dream" of throwing a rucksack and a couple of fishing rods in the back of the truck and heading off into the wilderness for a weekend fishing camp; and partly by the notion of being able to chop down trees, dig holes, chuck tools in the back, and generally look like a roughty toughty tree surgeon type. If you live in the UK the chances are that your dream pick up is the doyen of it’s class, the Toyota Hilux. The Hilux has a reputation, and quite rightly so, for being the roughest, toughest, gruffest piece of metal ever formed into a utility vehicle. A few years ago Mitsubishi, realising that they could never out-do Toyota in the working pick up stakes, moved the goal posts and set a trend for a fashionable new style of pickup with the L200. With an advertising campaign aimed at prizing young professionals out of the seats of their sports cars and into something different (their TV ads featured beautiful people riding jet-skis straight onto the back of an L200) yuppies up and down the country were ditching their BMW M3’s in favour of the more rugged, go anywhere, do anything Mitsubishi L200. Whilst all of this was going on Toyota never ventured off of the path - they kept on making the same brutally rugged work truck. They stuck to what they were good at, and they kept their place at the top of the monkey tree. Then it all changed. For some reason, totally beyond my comprehension, Toyota changed tack and the Hilux metamorphosed into one of the new generations of "lifestyle" truck, just like the L200. Why? Why would they do that? It’s a little like overpainting the Mona Lisa with a ridiculous clown smile just to keep her "fresh" and "modern". The same fantastic performance levels are still there, but buried deep underneath a fashionable space age looking façade. The new Hilux doesn’t look like a work truck any more. Scratches, scrapes, and dents suited the old style Hilux, they looked like they were meant to be there - a little like an eye-patch on a pirate, or a red tie on a conservative MP. I can’t imagine being happy with even the slightest scratch on the new Hilux. At the first sign of a blemish I’d be straight down to the guys at the Plastic Surgeon for an invisible repair before I was hit with insomnia and fits of v omitting (please note the very deliberate plug for Sean Taylor and Rob Mouser of The Plastic Surgeon!). Once you’re behind the wheel of the new Hilux Invincible though, everything changes. Sat up in the cab you forget that you’re behind the wheel of one of the worlds best 4x4’s. The sumptuous leather, host of gadgets, minimal engine noise, and ample sound system all lead you to believe that you’re in a rather pleasant saloon; A BMW 3 series maybe, or the Saab 9-3. On the motorway the Invincible was, well, invincible. Acceleration was positive, and it sat quite comfortably at the maximum speed limit on Britain’s roads of 70 mph (which I obviously never exceed, even when test driving a new Porsche!) Around town the Hilux Invincible was easy to manage. Superb visibility combined with a good steering lock and more than a little luck meant that I could reverse into parking spaces without so much as a bead of sweat showing on my ever enlarging forehead. Then I got a little carried away, and in my not too wise wisdom decided to head out onto the farm to have a bash at the deeply rutted and very steep woodland rides cut into the hillside by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. My excitement was rapidly building as the Invincible made the journey through the narrow country lanes an interesting pleasure. I was almost disappointed as I pulled up at the top of the farm driveway. Heart pounding and breathing like a telephone pervert I slipped her into full four wheel drive for the next part of the journey. We crossed the flat field with ease - mind you, even the BMW X3 could have made the trip without a slip so it’s hardly worth writing home about. A little mud splattered the sides of the immaculately shiny Hilux as we (me and "her" - "her" being the car) powered through a small stream and up over the grassy bank beyond. Hmmm - I’m not so sure that even the slightest bit of mud suits this new generation of Hilux; I had to get out and wipe it clean! The M5 was a distant memory as we powered up and around the steep woodland rides which are usually the domain of quad bikes or tracked forestry vehicles. She took the tight, twisting bends in her stride, the one slight fault being user error rather than any failing on my part. Time flew by, and before I knew it, two hours had passed and I was leaning on the closed gate at the bottom of the hill sharing a flask of coffee with the farmer (who very kindly pointed out more than a few bramble scratches - Plastic Surgeon here we come!) The Toyota Hilux Invincible that I tested, along with every other Hilux in the range, is still that superbly performing 4x4 that I love; it just happens to be hidden behind a pretty mask. It’s a fantastic bit of kit, but I still wouldn’t want to use it as an every day work truck.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 2009

Just bought a 2009 Yaris with the new 1.33 petrol engine and 6 speed gearbox. Incredibly quiet engine, has new ECO drive facility that allows for the engine to shut off when idling at traffic lights or in stationary traffic. Increadible that Toyota have made a car that has 100bhp engine and yet still comes in at 120 g/km CO2 so is taxed at £35. In general I am really impressed with the car. Very comfortable, I am just over 6ft and so small cars can be a bit cramped. Really good driving position and front visibility is on a par with that of my Mazda 5 (MPV). Great basic spec, including a/c and handy AUX IN for MP3 player. Steering mounted controls and also the funky heads up central digital dash display that is a feature of the Yaris (and Prius). I am very pleased with the car. The discounts available make it very competitively priced too.

Toyota Yaris 1.8 SR 2008

Good fast small car, no problems yet.

Toyota Avensis Tourer 2.0 D4D T3-S 2003

Bought second-hand about 18 months ago. I can say that the car is extremely practical, cheap to run (50 mpg) cheap to insure (group 8) and is well equipped (SatNav as standard). The bad news is that it has been more problematic than the 1997 Vauxhall Vectra Tourer that I had for the ten years previously. Despite the fact it has a full service history (for now) I have had to replace both front shock absorbers (£250), Front Wheel Bearing (£80), Headlight Assist - known design fault (£65 for non original unit, plus you have to remove the bumper and headlight to change a bulb) and it has a dead spot at between 2000 and 2600 revs when warm. I have owned two cars for almost ten years before changing them but I don’t see myself owning this one for more than three years (regardless of credit crunch). I do like the Avensis , but I must say that Toyota’s reputation for reliability has to be questioned.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Water was sloshing about in the back footwells - back to garage to have speakers resealed and a dry out. Condensation a nightmare on front windscreen and rear side windows. Ice on inside of windscreen. I bought for reliability; think it might have put me off Toyota now. Only the excellent service from the dealership would change my mind.

Toyota Aygo 2008

My Aygo leaks. The nightmare comes true. After reading so many complaints about leaks in the Aygo and three months after I bought it , there’s water inside the car. I feel so sad. And also there’s more condensation inside the car that outside. I chose Toyota but now I’m disappointed. I Thought I had a great car but I was wrong. It’s not well made. They should have made it in Japan. It’s... a nightmare. I ’d like to change it for another car but I’m still paying the car. Could I do it? I’m so disappointed...

Toyota Yaris SR 1.4D 3dr 2008

This is the second Yaris in our household, the other being a 2005 1.3 colour collection. This one has been totally fault free in the four years we have had it. The SR 1.4D had a paint defect on it when we collected it brand new in October 2008 from Jim Walton’s in Penrith that we didn’t notice until the following day but it was quickly put right by having the front wing resprayed. Not the best of starts after a twelve week wait. However, it is a brilliant little car that is a very good all-rounder, fairly nippy and very good on fuel. Don’t believe the computer but check your mileage each time you fill up, ours is doing around 68 mpg on decent A roads. Also use decent diesel, not the supermarket rubbish, its makes the engine far quieter and smoother. The only real complaint we have is the way the boot is set up, throw out the false floor and secret compartments, wrap your wheel brace in a towel and stow it with the spare wheel and you have a boot you can use. With regard to the sat nav problems others have experienced all I can say is ours has been fine, CD player, radio and mobile phone are all good. To finish, we like the car so much that we tried to exchange our older one for another but all the SR’s have now gone or so our dealer tells me. Perhaps when the facelift model comes out next month we will try again, £35 road tax £120 insurance and 68 mpg. GO AND GET ONE!!

Responses to this review

Our SR 1.4D is now just over a year old and has been problem free the whole time. Still gleams like new after a good wash and is a delight to be in. Even the sat-nav system has worked well. The ride is a little on the firm side compared with the TR we have so Liz always grabs that so I’m left with the SR to play with. Still £35 to tax and over 60 to the gallon, carries my bike, dog and two sets of golf clubs when needed. A superb good looking all rounder. Service from Jim Walton of Penrith still exellent as always - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Toyota Avensis Hatchback 2006

This is my first Toyota bought from a local Toyota dealer. The car has done 40,000 miles. It looks in excellent condition with only one previous owner. I have had it for three weeks and I took it on it’s first long run today. The road noise over 45mph is very intrusive and when wet this gets significantly gets louder! Is there any way of dampening the road noise? The car otherwise is a joy to ride, very comfortable with lots of room but I will not be looking forward to long journeys!

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2007

Oh dear, what a truly awful small car. I have returned to at least three Toyota dealers over the last year and a half. The first a nationwide multi-franchise dealer who claimed they could find no fault, bizarrely they then agreed the juddering clutch was a problem and presumably fitted a new clutch which is when the nightmare began. From that moment I had difficulty engaging reverse 2nd to 3rd gear and back down was troublesome. Dealer said he felt car was driving just fine so took it to a dealer in Cheshire who tried a number of things and agreed that there is an underlying clutch and gearbox problem with the Yaris - some customers experience it some don’t but they said that as soon as Toyota come up with a modification they will contact me... WHAT? Sadly I had to award the Yaris at least one star but the truth is it does not deserve any. The Toyota Yaris is not a good car... The whisper is getting louder. Tip - if you are going to buy a Japanese car do yourself a big favour make sure it is made in Japan.

Responses to this review

Hi there Bob, I have a Toyota Yaris SR 1.3 Auto 2007 and have had problems since I bought it from new. When cold the car judders like it’s having a fit, struggles to go up any steep hill and if you stop on a hill the car rolls if you take your foot of the brake, auto gear change doesn’t happen right away taking about 2 - 3 secs so it over revs before moving from 2nd to 3rd gear on any flat road. Just yesterday the gear changing takes over 30 secs and to move from 18 to 30 mph you have to keep your foot right down on the pedal but in doing so the rev count goes very high before changing. I will be taking it to a Toyota dealership tomorrow but I’m very worried I’ll be paying a lot of money as I think the gearbox has gone and the car is just 3 years old, so past its warranty. I definitely think they make the car to F up after 3 years. I am soooo P’ed off and will never buy a Toyota again. I am a very unhappy with the car like yourself. How do I make a complaint? Sarah Dyer Jones from London

Toyota Aygo Aygo Blue 2007

Just been into the garage for the second time. Water ingress yet again first time was hinges on rear door this time leaking through sockets on back door. Ices up inside when cold - Stone Age. Continental tyres have only done 7500 miles and wearing out very little use left. To get these sorted and checked by Continental I have to pay for two replacements first. Rear back tyre unevenly worn must be a car fault that one. Would never recommend one to anyone. Toyota dealership not what I would expect with Japanese car. Very disappointed. Was thinking of changing for a Yaris but will steer clear of Toyota I think.

Responses to this review

I have recently changed my michelin tyres on my 7 year old Landrover Discovery they had done 86000 miles from the vehicle been new, what the hell is wrong with this tiny car?? - David Murphy from Durham

Toyota Aygo 2008

Ice on inside of car on front screen problem. Never had this before on any car over the last 30 years. Has anyone else got this problem on their Aygo?

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

I am SO disappointed with my Yaris 1.3 SR that I bought brand new in 2008. I am experiencing problems that I have never experienced with any other car in 22 years. The main issue is the gearbox, it is notchy and sometimes from a standstill I just cannot get into 1st gear or reverse and this has happened when I have just driven 50 miles or from cold. I have to pull away in 2nd. Dealer said they cannot find a problem with it. The engine is noisy and sometimes rattles like a diesel, doesn’t even start very quickly and sounds harsh and rattly when it fires up. The electric door mirrors do not heat up, the windows do not even clear of damp when you wind them down! The built in Tom Tom Sat Nav sometimes crashes, the boot is difficult to close, there is a creaking from the dashboard, the clutch clicks when you push it right down and you have to push it right down to change gear! and to start the engine. The rear seat headrests keep falling down, the glove box can be difficult to close and the dashboard plastics are appalling, the handling of the car in the wet is dangerous, the steering wheel controls for the radio are awkward to use and there is no mute apart from on the radio itself, the radio is difficult to tune in and even sometimes forgets the channels programmed in to it. The economy for a 1.3 is not good at about 40mpg, the fuel tank is ridiculously small for the size of car. The heater takes ages to warm up, the steering wheel cannot be adjusted high enough, despite the fact I have the seat lowered. I wish I had never bought the car, I never had ANY of these problems with my 1999 Renault Clio 1.6 in 9 years and it NEVER broke down. All I can think is that either the supposedly good reputation of Toyota Yaris is because the majority of people that buy it don’t use it much or don’t realise how much better other cars are to drive. I wish I could get all my money back and buy another Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, VW. As soon as I can I will be selling the Yaris and never buying another Toyota. What a load of absolute rubbish!

Toyota Yaris 1.0 Manual 2007

Great car, no problems at all. Got a Corolla Verso manual as well, ditto. I’ve just read and contributed to the reviews for that and I notice the same remarks damning the MMT automatics. Looks like Toyota MMT auto gearboxes are the problem not the models themselves. Again I’d definitely get another.

Toyota Hiace 2002

Had to use one occasionally at my old place of work. Very dated looking van inside and out, but it had 180,000 miles on it and performed perfectly, it was very comfortable and had enough power in it (d-4d model), unlike many of the newer diesels it had a good amount of torque at idle like the old transits, if the newer shape/facelift model has a new interior too its well worth a look. Just read about the faults with the equivalent transit, Vivaro, Transporter etc.

Toyota Aygo 2006

I bought this car in March 2008. Loved the look of the car when I bought it.... sounded great as had just sold my 1997 Fiesta so obviously ran smoother and the cheap insurance and car tax was a complete plus. On the down side the car sounds rubbish - when driving it’s like a grunting sound. I thought it was just me and my driving but reading other reviews I can see it’s not - maybe it’s the semi-auto that seems to have more of this problem. Yesterday night I noticed that there is ice in my car and my car is really bad at de-icing as well as de-misting. Wish I had brought a different car - and now with the credit crunch how likely am I to sell this!

Toyota Yaris 2001

I love my Yaris! It has never failed me once, and although it is a 2001 model, still looks good today. What a car!

Toyota Aygo 2008

I have had the Toyota Aygo black since last September and it is the best car I have ever had. It is cheap to run, comfortable, funny to drive, it is like a sports car sometimes and I like it. However, I’m scared about this car’s future because I’ve reading lots of reviews where people complain about water leaks in the car. I haven’t got any yet but tomorrow never knows. At the moment is a great car even it is small in size. Congratulations Toyota. It is the first car I have from Toyota and it goes on this way I’ll keep being a Toyota client.

Toyota Aygo 2008

Initially bought an Aygo Sport for my wife. I loved it so much I got one for myself. I particularly liked the zippy-ness of the car not to mention the grunt the little 3 cylinder has. I got myself the Aygo platinum with leather seats and bluetooth as an option. I honestly cannot express my content with the car. The handling is amazing (but was expected from a short & wide wheel base together with low weight). The only complaints I might have on the car, The courtesy light does not light up when a door other than the driver’s is opened (as such I seem to constantly forget the light on when I turn it on when accessing the car from the passengers door to access the glove compartment) and indeed the clutch does seem a bit weak for the amazing 3 cylinder engine. Seems to me the engine was underestimated when designing the clutch. It is a shame really as other than that i think it is the best car I have ever owned!

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

An appalling gear box - a disgrace to the Toyota marque. Gears are unreasonably stiff and hard to get - especially second and third. I end up going around corners in neutral as I cannot get into second gear. (Illegal?). It is much worse when the engine is cold. The whole box is very notchy. Local garage is trying to be very helpful and have not argued - they have changed the clutch and put in thinner grade oil - if anything second gear is now even worse. The garage says Toyota KNOW they have a problem (? new cables don’t work re the latest gear box) and are "working to solve the fault" - but it could take up to a year!! My car is now tagged for recall. In two months I have now developed what looks like arthritis in my left shoulder from ramming gears in over the last two months! As a pensioner I cannot afford to throw money at this. I am hugely disappointed and Toyota MUST come up with a solution. There must be scores out there in trouble with new Yaris gear boxes. I wish I’d never bought the car. Car magazines are going to pick this up and damn the Yaris - at a time when sales are falling of all new cars. Not very clever if Toyota do not get a move on and SOLVE this gear box problem - they will lose sales nationwide as knowledge of this spreads. They cannot afford this mess up. They must solve it and RECALL all 2008 models of the Yaris.

Toyota Aygo Aygo MMT 2006

Using the automatic (disabled driver) l find the gear change from 1st to 2nd rough, unpredictable and the worst auto box I’ve ever used. Occasionally moves from 3rd to 1st at about 25mph. I returned the car to the dealer but they claim that no fault exists?

Responses to this review

I have had similar problems. I now have to replace the trottle after only three years - May Evans from Dorset

Toyota Avensis Hatchback D4D TSpirit 2004

Good but flawed. Fuel consumption around 50 mpg (ignore trip computer - it’s way out). Great load carrier - front seats fold flat to reveal huge load area - watch out in rain though - drips fall into area when raise hatch. Lot of road noise and relatively hard ride. Front tyre wear high 12k - 15k miles. Good for cruising on motorway - relaxed and comfortable. High quality cabin and lots of kit although rain sensing wipers erratic. Electric leather seats less comfortable than cloth ones... Has been less than reliable though - least reliable Toyota ever owned. Replaced both rear hatch dampers, 2 headlight units - melted (also watch out for headlight bulb replacement may need removal of front bumper!), and ECU (at a cost of £1,200!!!) Read Toyota Owners forum, lots of similar complaints over reliability. Toyota Service Manager strongly advised purchasing extended warranty - and that wasn’t a sales pitch more out of sympathy and experience.

Toyota Auris TR 2008

I have recently been diagnosed as having MS and as I am now registered disabled. I was lucky enough to have the choice to acquire a new vehicle with a choice of thousands of cars on the motorbility scheme. The Toyota Auris was recommended to me and I am very pleased with the economy, comfort and quietness of the car. My requirements for any vehicle are governed by my disability coupled with a desire to be reasonably environmentally conscious. Economy is also a major consideration. The most interesting thing from my point of view was my decision on which vehicle to choose was governed by the efficiency and help from the garage from which we got the car. We were lucky enough to meet very helpful and competent service in every garage we tried. Although Damon at Toyota was very helpful and his kindness and efficiency definitely helped me decide on an Auris. I know nothing of cars but the Auris is comfortable, warm and easy to drive with plenty of storage. Just the job. As far as economy is concerned, we only took delivery last week, so it’s rather to early to give an opinion but if you believe the cars computer all seems set fair. Do buy an Auris for comfort, quietness and safety but try and buy and buy it from Damon at Toyota, St Leonards if you are looking for truthful, painless service.

Toyota Hiace Super Custom Limited 1994

What a motor. Having always been a Volvo driver I was dubious at buying this as a campervan version. I imported it from Japan and, with 19,000 miles on the clock at 14 years old, with no rust it was a steal of a bargain. The 2.8 diesel automatic is as smooth as silk, though quite sluggish. There is a turbo model available and worth the extra expense. Fuel economy is rather poor at 22mpg overall. Then again the campervan version weighs over 2 ton so not bad I suppose. The ride comfort is superb, like riding in an armchair. The position is good, high up, though I would have lied more in front of me. The handling is smooth and positive. Parts are readily available despite it being an import and quite old. Maximum waiting time is 2 days for all major bits. This is a vehicle that you change your driving habits with. You have to notch yourself down a peg and enjoy the ride.

Toyota Yaris 1.0vvti 3dr 2007

Toyota Yaris... Well, I bought a 2007 1.0vvt to replace my Mazda Demio and what a great car this is... I’m always amazed just how large the inside of this car is, the sliding back seat is fantastic and all small cars should have this feature, it always returns 50+mpg and looks great in silver... I have now covered 20000 miles and still looks like new and drives the same... Such a good car, I will replace it next year with a new one of the same... Toyota quality shines through!

Toyota Yaris SR 2008

Another Yaris gearbox fiasco. Having purchased a new SR in June 08, it has been plagued with problems changing into 2nd and 3rd gears when cold; almost as if the synco’s don’t exist. The dealer has changed the oil to a different type - no difference, rebuilt the gearbox and tried another different oil; a little better, but in their terms still buggered! The problem is now with Toyota customer care, who seem indifferent, but have admitted there is a problem. If you’ve got a similar issue call them and log a complaint.

Toyota Yaris 2008

I love the car except for the faulty gear box. The multi-mode gear box is certainly faulty and gets stuck on the transmission. It also jots at gear changes in particular at the lower gears levels. I have reported this to the service department, and they say the jolts are not a fault however the fact that they are gears are not getting stuck, is a fault and I am due to have it checked out. This is a brand new car and I feel very cheated and unhappy that this critical issue has taken away the joy of getting a new car. I am not sure what the outcome of the repairs will be, but I will always be left with ill feelings about this.

Responses to this review

I bought a Toyota Yaris 133 vvt and it lurches foward at every gear change - they said all the gearboxes do that, they advised me to try the deisel run car it was a little less pronounced but they want me to pay £2000+ extra. I insisted on my money back but the said they tested the car on the computer and there is no fault. Trading standards said I have rights of refund but another adviser told me that I have the option of taking them to court. The garage said they will take the car back but I will have to pay £1400 plus VAT and on top of that lose my car that I part exchanged - my Vauxhall Omega for which they gave me a measly £1000. The sales manager refused to put anything in writing, she also changes her offer and tries to talk over us - we feel like we are fobbed off - they are trying to break us down. Please advise - Cherryl Howard from Bedfordshire 18/09/2009

Toyota Yaris T Spirit D4D 2007

This is as much about the garage as the car. I’ve had 4 Yaris models (2 of the old type, petrol) and more recently 2 of the new D4D diesel models; I have changed cars every 18 months or so, for tax reasons more than anything else. The Yaris is comfortable, economical and easy to get in and out of, having a high roof line. Some people have criticised the new diesel models as having a juddering clutch - and this is true at times. But hey - no car is perfect and one can forgive minor problems if there’s a good local garage (WKB Waterlooville) to sort them out. Low tax of £35 per year, combined with 65mpg make this car a winner. I love the push-button keyless start system on my current T-Spirit. In the previous T3 model you had to put a key in, and the noisiest part of driving was the key jangling! I’d have another Yaris tomorrow if I could afford to replace it right now, but - being semi-retired - I might just get the new Toyota iQ. How they manage to get 4 seats in it escapes me...

Toyota Aygo Aygo Black 2007

I purchased my brand new Toyota Aygo Black in December 2007. I needed a small, economical to run car, no frills but reliable. The Aygo fitted the description perfectly. I loved the look of the Aygo Black and the interior was far superior to the VW Fox which was my other option. However 4 weeks after purchase the problems began! The screeching noise from the brakes was deafening, the front passenger door creaked loudly and dropped slightly when opening and I was sure it was leaking in rain. On returning it to the dealership I was told that I had worn out all 4 brake pads (I had done 300 miles!) and that there was nothing wrong with the door but they had oiled it anyway. Months passed and new faults began to emerge! The glove box door falls open every time I go over a bump, both doors leak and recently when I went to a hand car wash we got so wet sat inside the car that the guy with the pressure hose give us a towel to dry off! Returning the car again to the dealer they replaced the glove box door and told me there was nothing wrong with the door seals and not to use a pressure washer on it again! The new glove box door is even worse than the old and I now have a puddle of rainwater in each foot well. The gear box is sloppy and sometimes dangerous and the mpg advertised can only be achieved if you never exceed 30mph! All in all very disappointed. Since purchase I have read many similar reviews. Shocking that Toyota aren’t doing something about this.

Toyota Land Cruiser LC3 2003

Had the car from new... nearly 5 years and I normally change my car after 3!! Build quality unrivalled, and despite its size very easy to drive round town aided by the excellent auto gearbox. Service from Toyota far better than I’ve received from other manufacturers, and only one central locking issue requiring attention since new. It may not be as refined as an X5, Disco or Lexus but for value for money, reliability and presence it cant be beaten. Well done Toyota.

Toyota Camry 3.0 v6 1996

Bought my car with 160000 miles on the clock. Drove it for 10000 miles and it never failed me once. Extremely reliable and a very hushed engine. The engine almost caught me out on a few occasions as I thought the car would be off while it was idling. Very spacious and well equipped. I plan to trade it in for a used Lexus ls400 now with similar mileage.

Toyota Prius 2005

Absolutely the worst handling car I’ve ever driven, it is ugly, the steering has no feel and the economy is no match for many other cars, it is also too big around town and uneconomical out of town. I am looking for something that I can drive around town and out into the country, also for trips around Europe, forget the Prius, the best cars seem to be The VW Polo Bluemotion or Seat equivalent, which is cheaper than the VW and both much cheaper than the Prius, or the Mini Cooper diesel, also the Citroen C3 is very nice, there are also other cars like Renault and Fiat, the only one I wont consider is the awful, expensive and not very economical Prius.

Toyota Corolla Saloon 1992

1500 cc low mileage, 40,000, tidy and service history, should be reliable and economical, but first problem was the auto that would sometimes select neutral in a corner or roundabout and leave one coasting for a bit, not only potentially dangerous but also very annoying as you never knew when it would happen, it was fixed ok by local dealer but was still inconsistent when accelerating and would kick down too late when you needed it and change down unnecessary when accelerating gently. Other problems included unreliable central locking and electric windows, The cam belt cost a small fortune to replace, also economy nowhere near my older 2 litre Montego, which I had bought at slightly higher mileage and sold still going well at 120000 miles, I now have a 318Ti BMW, and like the Montego it is comfortable and I don’t get Toyota back ache on a trip, it handles and performs well and the economy is good, so far, well over a year it has cost very little to run, and no problems at all.

Toyota Aygo plus 2006

Previously I owned a Yaris for 5 years and it was superb. Well built, totally reliable economical, nice to drive and all in all a good car to own. I decided I wanted something a bit smaller and thought the Aygo sounded good. What a mistake! It is noisy, plasticy and not well made. The claims for fuel economy can only be achieved by very careful driving (and can be matched by the Yaris in most situations anyway). My Aygo has done 14000 miles and has already had new brake discs and a new clutch both due to excessive wear. In a previous vehicle (Nissan Sunny) I did 146000 miles without either of these component being changed, so I do not consider myself to drive harshly. I think that Toyota have done their reputation no end of harm by allowing this disappointing car to bear their name badge!!

Toyota Verso 2008

I’m looking for a new car. have vw touran 1.9 tdi se at moment. excellent car. test drove verso 2.2 d-4d sr. very comfy seats, lumbar great, v. supportive. loads of room front and back, two 6 foot plus teenagers. boot a bit smaller than touran or zafira, but still good. controls simple, easy to use, no clutter. the test car had wheel align fault - pulling to left. had to keep pulling on steering wheel to keep it straight, hard work. power supposed to be good, but had to floor accelerator quite a bit to make it shift. cabin noise from engine quieter than touran. does zoom past 100 mph though. also had to floor brake peddle more than touran to make it slow down at normal road speeds. so, excellent car, but seemed hard work to drive.

Toyota Avensis Estate 2003

Had this car now for nearly 5 years. My first estate. My first Toyota but not my last. 70k+ miles and no major problems. Minor problem with lights put right by Toyota (out of warranty) at no cost or argument. Good economy, great carrier, comfortable car. No rust. A real quality machine. I know it’s got good residual value. What more could you ask for? Looking forward to new model in 2009!

Toyota Yaris SR 2008

I purchased a Yaris SR in July 2008 from the local Toyota dealership. Sadly, major gearbox problems; getting into 1st and 2nd gears. The dealer road tested and said it was a faulty gearbox, the technician stripped the gearbox down and repaired the fault. I road tested the car and the problem was still there. Toyota technician road tested the car and said they found no problem. I even got a second opinion from an independent technician and he said the gearbox was faulty - the dealership said they would change the gearbox - they also said they would swapped the gearbox from a another vehicle. I am very disappointed and wish that I had never purchased this car.

Toyota Aygo Blue Multi Mode 2008

Having had a Renault Clio 1.6 16 Valve for 9 years which I loved to bits, great economy and performance 43mpg at the worst, mostly driving with a heavy foot, I decided to buy an Aygo due to the impending tax hikes due in 2009, soaring fuel costs etc and the fact the Clio was getting old. With Toyota’s apparent good reputation, I paid extra to have the whole works apart from leather upholstery. After a few weeks, I had blue smoke coming through the air vents when the aircon was turned on. The dealer changed the compressor and belts but it still does it occasionally and they cannot find the cause, so I don’t us the air con if I can help it. The glove box kept falling open when I went over a bump, this was fixed by the dealer by fitting the metal catch and also rain water came in due to the fact they had not fitted the rubber door seals. But now they are fitted, they are starting to fall off! I got the Multi mode transmission as I am often stuck in traffic and thought it would make it easy but I hate it. Sometimes there is a bad hesitation while it decides whether it is going to go into 1st or 2nd gear which is very frightening at times. The engine sounds very thrashy when pulling away and when going up hill and heaven help you if you have any adults in the car. The body work bends and the doors feel very thin. I am averaging 52 mpg and that is driving it carefully, so even the claim of good mpg is a false one, I could get 52mpg from my 1.6 clio by driving on just the same journeys! Having been driving for 21 years, this is quite simply the worst car I have ever owned, how I miss my RELIABLE Clio! I cannot express how much I HATE THE AYGO!!!!

Toyota Hiace All models since 1996 2008

I’ve worked in the Toyota dealer network for over 10 years now, recently coming away from that to try other things, I’ve run and worked on many of these vans, some with more miles than the enterprise, more hits than the Beatles but still they keep going!! in 10 years I’ve seen one gearbox bearing fail, 2 injection pumps fail, a handful of water pumps, a few vacuum hoses, one coil spring and one exhaust silencer bracket break. most of these failed under warranty. the Hiace can sometimes be a bit sluggish when loaded up, and fuel economy isn’t great. one bad point on these vans is the top arms, the upper ball joint wears, and depending on where the MOT is done it will fail, repair bill is about £600 quid, but only usually needs done once in around 130k miles, a remarkably van, tried and tested and just as tough as a Hilux!

Responses to this review

Hi Marc, what kind of milage would you see such wear and how would you check for this? jack her up? I’m thinking of buying a 2004 with 77k on clock, Regards - Alex Mac from Aberdeenshire

Toyota Aygo Blue 2006

Well the car is a very good car to drive, very cheap to run and road tax £35. What can you expect? At the end of the day it is a cheap car to run and good value to use, I am very happy with this car. OK, it’s not the cheapest car you can buy but at the end of the day, it is cheap on petrol and service and cost is low all round. It is worth buying, this is the best value car I have ever bought - get it!!

Toyota Yaris MMT 2006

We have owned this car for 23 months and bought on a PCP as a town run around for my wife. The stupid semi auto gearbox is a big let down, always in the wrong gear. When you pull away on a slighly wet surface or even dry come to that, it wheel spins, a no no for hilly areas. As you go around a roundabout it changes up so you end up in third or fourth by the time you exit, as for the roll back it’s a good job we both learnt in a manual because you have to still carry out hill starts on the slightest gradiant. When we complained about it to our local dealer he just told us that we were driving it to aggessively and to use the manual mode. I thought I was buying an auto not a manual. The brakes are also very sharp the slightest dab and you’re on the windscreen. A new front tyre had to be bought last week as it was worn out in 6500 miles. We feel lumbered with a car we both hate on Toyota PCP contract that will end up costing money to get out of, hence we still have the heap of rubbish.

Toyota MR2 tte turbo 2001

Have had the car for two years now, a replacement for my Mk1. All I can say is that the car is fantastic: great handling; reliable; good service from the dealers and with the turbo you get that shove in the back performance. It is capable of keeping up with most performance cars on the road today.

Responses to this review

The Mk3 has no turbo. It has one engine option, the normally aspirated 1.8 vvti - Justin Hewitt from London

There is a turbo version . . . 2006 - Tom from England

Toyota Aygo Aygo blue special edition. 2008

Car bought for Daughter by Grandad after she had previously driven the fantastically reliable Yaris. Very disapointed , car feels like driving around in a tin can, body work feels so thin that I am suprised it hasn’t blown away in the wind . Poor quality tacky interior and doors need slamming to shut, worry is you expect the rest of the car to fall apart. Same problem with faulty glove box , several creaks and squeeks and engine sounds like the exhaust is falling off its so noisy . All in all a very poor quality car & very disappointed Toyota has its name on the badge. Same issues again with miles per gallon, nowhere near reaching Toyota’s claim. Car that bad I feel conned by Toyota having bought this vehicle . I would be very suprised if it stands the test of time. Only plus point is that the exterior shape does look well and modern.

Toyota Auris Auris VVTi MMT 2008

I purchased the Auris mainly because of the MMT gear-box, I have always preferred a manual gear-box, but my partner can only drive a automatic due to a disability, now we have a car that is the ideal compromise, apart from that the performance is excellent and the MPG is more than I expected, on the downside the services are very expensive compared to other manufactures, but with the price of fuel as it is at the moment and it will get more expensive the better MPG you get from a car the better and if that also comes with better performance well that is a bigger bonus.

Toyota Hilux Invincible 200 Limited Edition 2008

Best pick up currently available on the market. Goes like stick and is as fast as a V6 Range Rover Sport 0-62mph. Only downside is the 15" wheels fitted. Toyota need to resolve this. As for looks apart from the wheels its the biz.

Toyota Auris 1.6 t spirit 2007

I really like the smart entry and the cruise control. I don’t see the point in the automatic wipers and lights as we all know when its raining and getting dark. The Auris is very nice to drive and the 1.6 goes very well. I have had Toyota’s before including the Yaris, Corolla and now the Auris. They have all been good and reliable.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 t3 mmt 2006

We have had car 28months , and done 15,000 miles. Gearbox is only any good if you learn to use the manual mode. I have found when setting of from cold there is a tendency for a little clutch judder but disappears when warm. The smoothest way to drive car is to start off on the automatic mode and use this for the change to 2nd, then push gear lever onto manual mode for all other gears. When changing gear on manual mode always ease off on throttle as you change and changers are then very quick and smooth. In traffic up to 10 miles per hour very tricky to keep it smooth, it would be far better if change into second was at 5 to 6 miles per hour not 10 to 11. Petrol consumption is averaging 53 to gallon, but we do go 5 miles before hitting traffic into Harrogate. Engine is quite powerful, but on motorways speeds over 60 soon hit petrol consumption and this will drop down to 45. Height adjustment on the drivers seat is good but legroom is very restricted for tall drivers, therefore tall driver has to lower the height adjustment so that seat moves away from wheel, which defeats object of height adjustment for taller drivers who like an upright driving position, as even on highest setting the headroom is good. Plenty of room in car and rear seat arrangement is clever. Local Toyota dealer in Knaresborough is good, servicing reasonable particularly if you take out service plan. Extended warranty available after 3 years and this is reasonable cost and probably worth taking out as mmt is suspect. Insurance is group 4 and costs 160 pounds on full ncb with LV. All in all not a bad car, but not a patch on my Mitsubishi 1.8 Spacestar, which has a 100,000 miles on it, and still averages 49 mpg for a petrol engine. It’s just unfortunate that these have gone out of production.

Responses to this review

Great review Martin. Saw and was thinking about an old automatic Yaris for around £1300 advertised - with around 100,000 miles on it. Need a cheap automatic runaround that’s unlikely to cost me £2000 in work on the gearbox or some other fault... that is reliable... yet delivers 35mpg plus around town... since my Ford Galaxy 1.9TDi’s semi autobox went at 49,000 miles and the automatic transmission reconditioners - with good reviews wanted £1800 to recondition it. Was your Mitsubishi Spacestar a reliable automatic? I was wondering what an automatic Spacestar does mpg? Anyone know of something giving 35mpg plus around town, that is reliable, and with a reliable automatic gearbox, and available at up to £1500? Been running round in a 1997 Toyota Corolla 1.3 automatic (67,000 miles) - that’s doing less than 20mpg whereas the 1991 Galaxy (110,000 miles) did 35mpg for the same journeys around town. Most of these automatic Yaris’s seem to have gearbox problems before they’ve done 70,000 miles... is that the case? And anyone whose had a reconditioned automatic gearboxes work well for over 50,000 miles... would be interested who reconditioned it and the price - Paul Kay from London

Toyota Rav4 RAV4 XT-R 2.2D-4D 5Dr 2008

On a test drive I was delighted with the car - everything about it is good. I have one minus point - SatNav only on certain Rav4 - should be included when you have the facility already there. Awaiting for car now on 58 Reg.

Toyota MR2 2003

The only reason I can’t give my ’2 5/5 is that I would like the TTE turbo option! I have had my car for 2 years and bought used with 17k on the clock. There is an issue on the earlier cars with the cats in the manifold falling apart but this was solved by Toyota with the facelift (fog light) model in 2003. De-catted manifolds are cheap to buy and fit for peace of mind though. So far I have reached 35k and have had a new water pump new discs and finally replaced the original Bridgestone tyres that came with the car when I bought it. I recommend straying from the standard tyre size as it is an odd size that means you pay for the nose for tyres to match original spec. You can get a set of Toyota’s for a reasonable £250 rather than paying £180 just for the rears in Bridgestone OE format! I have fitted a luggage rack which helped when I took a large suitcase on holiday and I have removed the doors to the luggage compartment for easier access behind the seats. Removing the spare wheel gives lots of extra space but makes the front light so be careful if you decide to use this as your ’boot’ I regularly get 40mpg from my 6 speed ’2 and have never dropped below 36mpg even when I tried! I have once managed to get the 44mpg as listed in the sales brochure! Insurance is cheap and tax is relatively low compared to other sports cars due to Toyota’s ultra low emissions pledge when they revised the car in 2003. Hard tops only come with air con models so if you aren’t lucky enough to have a hard roof with yours you are looking at anything from £300-£800 for a lid on eBay and the fitting kit will set you back £150 from Toyota. Watch for cars that have been modified, thrashed and then put back to standard for sale. Also for track day damage. Servicing is every 10k and is reasonable. The standard stereo is rubbish even with the £1000 CD option - replace it as soon as you can! I researched the MX5, S2000, VX220, Z3, MGF etc before buying my MR2 and I am very happy with my choice. :)

Toyota Aygo 2008

Toyota Aygo - full marks - good value for money.

Toyota Yaris 2006

I love my little Yaris- it has been brilliant. My daughter loves it too and my mother-in-law bought one after she drove mine, but she got the automatic. A brilliant, funky little car. Silver ones are the best!!!!!

Toyota Aygo aygo black 2006

Hate it! door seals had to be fixed 3 times, abs lights on and brakes failing me! Clutch seems really weird when driving! Reverse crunch sound is hideous! So much to hate with this stupid car!

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon 2007

I like this car, especially the new one. I used to have a Land Cruiser LC4 but sadly I sold it for £12,500. It was on a 53 plate - astral black. Oh, and it was top of the range to!

Toyota Yaris 2005

I have had endless problems with my Toyota Yaris 1.0 gearbox clutch. In and out of the dealership claiming nothing was wrong - it was me and the way I drove it!!! Field Service Engineer told me that no other Yaris was like mine and they were not prepared to do any more for me. DREADFUL - I even got a second opinion from an independent person and the inability of the car to get into first, second and reverse gear happened to him - still TOYOTA would not listen - I have now bought a Ford Fiesta - I cannot believe the difference.

Toyota Corolla Verso 2.0D T2 2005

55 PLATE. I’ve now done 106,000 miles with no problems except in the last 6 months it sticks in 1stvfirst thing in morning, then clears. Great economy, enough room for 2 x 13 year-olds and 2 older teenagers plus the wife, and me. Just don’t expect to fit luggage in as well! A little noisy on motorways, lots of mid range punch and sure footed means I’d happily get another.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 T3 MMT 2007

As a driving instructor I find the Yaris MMT a good automatic car to teach in. It’s comfortable, with plenty of space and visibility is very good. In Easy mode the car is quick through the gears and possibly ’greener’ than the manual version. It has manual mode to give control over gears on hills or poor weather and has kickdown to drop gears in easy mode. There is no creep function but that’s why there’s a gas pedal and handbrake. I like it.

Toyota Auris 1.6 TR 2007

I have had various Corolla’s since 1988 - my last one in ’05 and the Auris is the worst. Poor gear ratios, ridiculous gear shift light , knocking noise and feel through the steering wheel, and now the clutch is also making a knocking sound upon releasing the pedal. My dealer says don’t worry, you have got a 3 year warranty.. it will need it at this rate , cant wait to get rid.

Responses to this review

Hiya, I have an Auris which is making a noise similar to yours when releasing the clutch pedal. Just wondered if you had managed to get yours fixed and if so what was the problem? I’ve had mine into the dealer and they don’t seem to know how to fix it!! - Graham from Lancashire

Toyota Auris T Spirit 2007

Great car. Built well and priced fairly. A very comfortable drive and feels quite big inside. Mine has the multi mode transmission which I am still getting used to. However I find that having the versatility of driving it manually or auto is useful. This does not seem to compromise the speed of the vehicle for me. As I haven’t had the car long, only time will tell in terms of the overall performance and reliability but there are and have been a lot of Toyota’s in the family over the years so I expect there will be very few problems for quite some years.

Responses to this review

Hi. Three years on, do you still have your Auris and did you get used to your MMT gearbox? I am finding mine a nightmare personally. So any tips you may have for driving it will be welcomed. Thanks - H from Sussex