Used car guide

1998 Toyota Avensis: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 1998 Toyota Avensiss, from 192 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 192 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

192MOT tests in 2025
61%pass first time (all 1998 cars: 66%)
4,200typical miles a year
2.9×the usual rate for number plates

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 1998 Toyota Avensiss than on all cars registered in 1998.

  • Number plates2.9× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    16.7% All 1998 cars
    5.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.6%, against 0.6% of all 1998 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

By area

The share of 1998 Toyota Avensis MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    39% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    32% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    30% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    26% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    19% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    19% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20181,138Tyres 28%
20172,423Tyres 25%
20163,484Tyres 27%
20153,062Tyres 29%
20142,903Suspension 33%
20132,993Suspension 35%
20124,509Suspension 38%
20114,129Suspension 42%
20105,053Suspension 46%
20094,696Suspension 50%
20084,497Suspension 46%
20074,215Suspension 49%
20063,746Suspension 47%
20052,887Suspension 49%
20042,084Suspension 45%
20031,569Suspension 40%
2002679Brakes 36%
2001493Brakes 41%
2000361Suspension 40%
1999311Brakes 42%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 1998 Toyota Avensiss registered in 1998. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score