Part of the Toyota Aygo Mk1 (2005–2014) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2005 Toyota Aygo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Toyota Aygos, from 1,221 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,221MOT tests in 2025
49%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
4,900typical miles a year
7.8×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

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

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes7.8× usual
    Toyota Aygo
    13.3% All 2005 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 0.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Headlights1.7× usual
    Toyota Aygo
    24% All 2005 cars
    14.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.3%, against 4.9% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings2.5× usual
    Toyota Aygo
    15.2% All 2005 cars
    6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.5%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Braking performance2× usual
    Toyota Aygo
    13.8% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.6%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Headlight aim1.9× usual
    Toyota Aygo
    12.3% All 2005 cars
    6.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 12.3%, against 6.6% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 6.3% here, against 14.5% of all 2005 cars. Drive shaft (CV) joints: 2.6% here, against 7.3% of all 2005 cars.

By area

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

  • Suspension
    51% 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
    51% 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
    42% 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
    33% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    21% 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.

  • Rust and bodywork
    15% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Squeaking or failing clutch
    Manual gearbox

    A squeak from underneath as you let the clutch out, with a stiff gear change, points to a worn clutch.

    At the viewing: Listen as you pull away, and try every gear.

    If it needs doing: Clutch replacement, about £250–£600. ClickMechanic

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

  • Gear cable that can snap
    Manual gearbox

    One of the gear cables can fail suddenly, leaving no gears at all.

    At the viewing: Make sure every gear goes in cleanly, including reverse.

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

  • Heavy steering
    All

    Heavy steering can mean a failing power steering control unit, which is replaced as a whole.

    At the viewing: Turn the wheel at a standstill and at low speed: it should feel light.

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

Looking at a Toyota Aygo?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,592Tyres 18%
202117,011Tyres 24%
202016,538Tyres 29%
201922,072Tyres 30%
201821,890Tyres 32%
201721,381Tyres 31%
201622,129Tyres 30%
201523,152Tyres 29%
201419,302Tyres 30%
201315,070Brakes 32%
201214,635Brakes 38%
201112,582Brakes 41%
201011,360Brakes 43%
200912,119Brakes 45%
200810,458Suspension 48%
20078,386Suspension 49%
20066,692Suspension 50%

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