Used car guide · 1995–2016

Toyota HI-Ace common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Toyota HI-Ace, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 22,841 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

22,841MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
178on the UK register
2009best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

201620152013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995

What usually goes wrong with a Toyota HI-Ace?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Toyota HI-Ace in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Toyota HI-Ace MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Diesel

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes

    up to 16.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 1999 and 2011.

    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.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    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.

  • Chassis rust or damage

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

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

  • Coil springs

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Ball joint

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1999 and 2000.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Toyota HI-Ace MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2009 Toyota HI-Ace did best (69% passed first time, 10 points above all 2009 cars) and the 2011 did worst (69%, 7 points above all 2011 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201677%77% +0110 (small sample)
201571%74% -3174 (small sample)
201372%67% +5143 (small sample)
201269%64% +5181 (small sample)
201169%62% +71,152
201068%60% +81,916
200969%59% +102,094
200867%57% +103,649
200765%57% +84,039
200664%56% +81,460
200565%57% +81,043
200462%57% +5958
200362%57% +5872
200260%58% +2585
200159%60% -1839
200057%61% -4721
199962%63% -1945
199862%65% -3927
199761%65% -4517
199666%66% +0323 (small sample)
199564%67% -3193 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Toyota HI-Ace

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link bushes? (Flagged at MOT 19.3× as often on the Toyota HI-Ace as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rust around suspension or steering mountings? (Flagged at MOT 3.4× as often on the Toyota HI-Ace as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the chassis rust or damage? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the Toyota HI-Ace as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Toyota HI-Ace?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score