Used car guide

2011 Toyota Urban Cruiser: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2011 Toyota Urban Cruisers, from 900 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

900MOT tests in 2025

70%pass first time (all 2011 cars: 61%)

6,300typical miles a year

3.6×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2011 Toyota Urban Cruisers than on all cars registered in 2011.

Rigid brake pipes3.6× usual

Toyota Urban Cruiser
22% All 2011 cars
6.1%

Failed outright at MOT: 2.7%, against 1% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.
Corroded fuel pipes19.3× usual

Toyota Urban Cruiser
5.8% All 2011 cars
0.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.
Headlights1.9× usual

Toyota Urban Cruiser
10.8% All 2011 cars
5.8%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.6%, against 3.2% of all 2011 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.
Rear reflectors11.8× usual

Toyota Urban Cruiser
4.7% All 2011 cars
0.4%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.1% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Suspension arm2.3× usual

Toyota Urban Cruiser
7.7% All 2011 cars
3.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.4% of all 2011 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.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 3.3% here, against 8.9% of all 2011 cars. Shock absorbers: 2.3% here, against 7.6% of all 2011 cars.

By area

The share of 2011 Toyota Urban Cruiser MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Brakes

43% 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.
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.
Tyres

29% 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

27% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

10% 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.
Wipers, windscreen and mirrors

9% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Looking at a Toyota Urban Cruiser?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2012	532	Brakes 39%
2010	1,031	Brakes 40%
2009	1,105	Brakes 41%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2011 Toyota Urban Cruisers registered in 2011. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score