Used car guide

2018 Toyota Auris petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Toyota Auris first registered in 2018 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 3,513 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,513MOTs of 2018 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
86%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 83%)
5,600typical miles a year
3×the usual rate for brake lights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2018 Toyota Auris petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2018 Toyota Auris petrol than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Brake lights3× usual
    Toyota Auris
    2.4% All 2018 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.3%, against 0.6% of all 2018 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.

Common 2018 Toyota Auris petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2018 Toyota Auris petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    25% 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.

  • Brakes
    18% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    7% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Suspension
    6% 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.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Known faults on the 2018 Toyota Auris petrol

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.

  • Water in the boot

    All engines

    Failed seals on the rear lights and tailgate can let water into the boot and mist up the windows.

    At the viewing: Lift the boot floor and feel the carpet for damp.

    Source: Auto Express: used Toyota Auris review

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2018 Toyota Auris petrol

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

  1. Has the boot ever been wet?
  2. Any recent work on the brake lights? (Flagged at MOT 3× as often on the 2018 Toyota Auris petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Toyota Auris?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Toyota Auris compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20193,694Tyres 24%
201742,377Tyres 25%
201647,048Tyres 25%
201552,043Tyres 25%
201450,746Tyres 27%
201341,166Tyres 27%
201225,104Brakes 37%
201128,047Brakes 40%
201028,528Brakes 42%
200932,234Brakes 47%
200833,710Brakes 50%
200731,593Brakes 49%
2006158Suspension 42%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Toyota Auris cars first registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score