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Toyota Verso

All generations and engines together · 26,159 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 66k

Reliability verdict
BBy age
BBy miles

Graded against its peers

Better than most people carriers, by age and by mileage. Watch brakes and suspension. A solid used buy, provided its MOT history has no repeating brakes advisories.

First-time failure at age 7
18.4%
Across 1,666 tests. The average for people carriers is 20.6%.
First-time failure at 50-60k miles
22.1%
Across 2,172 tests. The average for people carriers is 24.9%.
Rank in its class
5 of 23
1 = lowest failure rate among the 23 people carriers we can rank.
Typical mileage at age 7
66k miles
How far the average car has gone by seven years old. Low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

DPF regen problems damaging the diesel engine

Confirmed pattern

On the 2.2 D-4D diesel, poor or infrequent DPF regeneration lets unburnt fuel wash down the cylinder bores, scoring piston rings and pushing up oil use. Toyota extended the warranty on this engine to five years to cover it, and owners still report DPF-related engine damage turning up once that cover has run out. Watch for smoke on start-up, thin oil above the dipstick mark, or a DPF light that won't clear itself on a run.

2.2 D-4D, mostly short-run cars · sources: Honest John, mycarly

EGR cooler coolant leak and clogged EGR valve

Confirmed pattern

Toyota recalled diesel Versos built 2015-2017 because the EGR cooler can develop an internal coolant leak, which in the worst case is a fire risk. Separately, owners of short-run diesels report the EGR valve itself clogging with soot, causing rough idling and a flat spot in the delivery. Ask about unexplained coolant top-ups and check the recall was actually carried out against the VIN.

Diesel, 2015-2017 build worst affected · sources: car-recalls.eu recall database, mycarly

Timing chain wear on the facelift 1.6 D-4D

Emerging

The 1.6 D-4D fitted to the facelifted Verso from 2013 is a BMW-sourced diesel, and owner reports describe timing chain wear turning into a rattle, then a full jump, from roughly 90-95k miles onward. One owner was quoted over £9,000 by a dealer for a replacement engine after the chain let go around five years/70k miles. There's no recall for it, so it comes down to how well the chain and its tensioner were looked after by the previous owner.

Facelift 1.6 D-4D, 90-95k miles · sources: Honest John owner reviews, Honest John Back Room forum

Fuel injector failures

Confirmed pattern

Toyota recalled 2014-2017 Versos over fuel injectors that had been refitted with the wrong tightening torque, which can work loose and leak. Separately, older D-4D diesels have needed full sets of injectors replacing out of warranty; one owner's bill for four new injectors came to over £1,500 at 74,000 miles. An intermittent engine or VSC light on a diesel is worth an injector check before you commit to buying.

Diesel D-4D · sources: Honest John, car-recalls.eu recall database

Turbo oil accumulation fire risk

Confirmed pattern2010-2013 diesel builds only

Toyota recalled diesel Versos built between 2010 and 2013 over oil accumulating in the turbocharger, which in rare cases created a fire risk. It only applies to that build window, so check the VIN against Toyota's UK recall checker before buying one of these years, especially if the car has changed hands privately and a dealer may not have flagged it.

Diesel, 2010-2013 build only · source: car-recalls.eu recall database

Brake actuator (ABS pump) failure

Partly in the MOT data

The measured MOT data shows Versos failing on brakes more than the class average, and there's at least one well-documented mechanical reason behind that beyond simple pad and disc wear: a brake actuator assembly, the ABS/traction control pump unit, failed on an early car within a month of purchase, at around £900 for the part alone and £1,300 fitted, then failed again after a warranty replacement. It's one clearly documented case rather than a flood of them, but it shows the brake system itself, not just consumables, can be the cause of a fail.

Sources: Honest John Toyota Verso review (owner-reported case)

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 7.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.3%
Bushes and ball joints Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 7.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%
Headlamp lensesRuns high on this model Check for condensation inside the headlamps and for cloudy or yellowed lenses. Both attract MOT trouble, and moisture inside a sealed LED unit generally means a whole new lamp.Recorded on 4.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%
Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this model With a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 3.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.3%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 3.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%
Leaks Look at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 22.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%
Pads and discsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 18.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%
Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this model Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 3.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Check the MOT history for repeat brake advisories or fails, not just one. A recurring brake fail pattern points at a system fault like the actuator/pump, not just worn pads.
On any diesel, check the oil level and smell the dipstick. Oil that's overfull or smells strongly of diesel points to DPF regen problems that have washed fuel into the bores.
Start a facelift (2013 on) 1.6 D-4D stone cold and listen for 30 seconds before driving off. A metallic rattle that fades as revs rise is the timing chain, not just normal diesel clatter.
Run the VIN through Toyota UK's recall checker. Outstanding recalls for injector torque (2014-17 builds) or turbo oil fire risk (2010-13 builds) mean unfinished manufacturer work, not just paperwork.
Ask if any injectors have been replaced, and ask to see the invoice. A full set changed under 80k miles was most likely a known-fault claim, not routine wear.
Take it on a proper motorway-speed run before buying, watching the dash the whole time. A DPF light that won't clear after a fast run is the start of an expensive engine problem, not a glitch.
Check the service book for coolant top-ups with no leak found elsewhere. Unexplained coolant loss on a diesel points toward the EGR cooler leak.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Toyota VersoClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 8,367 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
7.5%class 5.9%
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
Minor
7.4%class 1.8%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
7.0%class 1.3%
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
4.7%class 0.3%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
3.9%class 1.3%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
Minor
2.3%class 0.7%
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
2.2%class 0.6%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
2.1%class 2.0%
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
1.6%class 0.1%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
25.3%class 22.9%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
18.3%class 10.1%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
16.8%class 12.7%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
13.8%class 8.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
6.6%class 3.4%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
3.6%class 2.2%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
3.5%class 1.7%
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
Minor
2.6%class 1.2%

Others in its class

Same segment (MPVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

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