Used car guide

2005 Toyota Avensis: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Toyota Avensiss, from 2,887 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,887MOT tests in 2025
57%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
5,900typical miles a year
4.5×the usual rate for suspension arm

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Toyota Avensiss than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Suspension arm4.5× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    18.3% All 2005 cars
    4.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.3%, against 0.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Number plates2× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    13.5% All 2005 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0.6% of all 2005 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.

  • Sub-frame1.9× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    13.1% All 2005 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Sidelights1.8× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    12.2% All 2005 cars
    6.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 11.2%, against 5.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Other suspension component3× usual
    Toyota Avensis
    3.9% All 2005 cars
    1.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

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

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 2.7% here, against 10.7% of all 2005 cars. Ball joint: 1.6% here, against 6.5% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Toyota Avensis MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    49% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    43% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    36% 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
    31% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    12% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    11% 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.

Looking at a Toyota Avensis?

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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%
20042,084Suspension 45%
20031,569Suspension 40%
2002679Brakes 36%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Toyota Avensiss registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score