Used car guide · 2009–2026

Toyota Urban Cruiser common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Toyota Urban Cruiser, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 11,382 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

11,382MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
5,186on the UK register
2012best 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).

20262012201120102009

What usually goes wrong with a Toyota Urban Cruiser?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Toyota Urban Cruiser 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 Urban Cruiser 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.

Petrol

  • Headlights

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

    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 reflectors

    up to 11.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2010.

    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.

  • Corroded fuel pipes

    up to 9.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2010.

    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.

Diesel

  • Corroded fuel pipes

    up to 30× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    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.

  • Transmission oil leaks

    up to 8.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 4.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    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.

  • Rear reflectors

    up to 11.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    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 arm

    up to 3.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011 and 2012.

    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.

Toyota Urban Cruiser MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2012 Toyota Urban Cruiser did best (76% passed first time, 12 points above all 2012 cars) and the 2009 did worst (67%, 8 points above all 2009 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201276%64% +121,672
201172%62% +102,824
201070%60% +103,338
200967%59% +83,548

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Toyota Urban Cruiser

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

  1. Any recent work on the corroded fuel pipes? (Flagged at MOT 28.5× as often on the Toyota Urban Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rear reflectors? (Flagged at MOT 11.5× as often on the Toyota Urban Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the Toyota Urban Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Toyota Urban Cruiser?

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