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Toyota Celsior Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Toyota Celsior car check

Is the Toyota Celsior reliable? We analysed 708 real MOT tests across 104 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 708 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
81.8%
Typical Mileage
115,067mi
Annual Mileage
3,904mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
35yrs

The Toyota Celsior is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint, brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick and suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Toyota Celsior.

Toyota Celsior Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Toyota Celsior. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Toyota Celsior MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Toyota Celsior to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

77.8%
2005
88.1%
2003
80.5%
1999
81.1%
1998
74.6%
1991

Toyota Celsior Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Toyota Celsior fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 19
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 15
suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint 12
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 11
fog lamp not working 11
fog lamp missing 9
brake binding 9
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 8
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 6
fog lamp tell tale not working 5

Toyota Celsior Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Toyota Celsior owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,417 mi/yr
Typical
3,904 mi/yr
Average
5,624 mi/yr
Heavy usage
7,293 mi/yr

Toyota Celsior MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Toyota Celsior year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2005 90 77.8% 85,294 109,922 133,295
2003 59 88.1% 86,053 102,241 133,729
1999 77 80.5% 94,631 125,359 166,650
1998 74 81.1% 118,706 133,152 165,690
1991 63 74.6% 115,624 135,149 151,124

How Long Does a Toyota Celsior Last?

Based on 104 Toyota Celsior vehicles on UK roads.

Average
14.6 years
Median
16.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
35 years

Toyota Celsior Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Toyota Celsior MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
115,067 mi
75th Percentile
148,468 mi
95th Percentile
198,731 mi
Max Recorded
319,701 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Toyota Celsior

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2003

88.1% MOT pass rate from 59 tests

Year to avoid
1991

74.6% MOT pass rate from 63 tests

The best year to buy a used Toyota Celsior is 2003, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 88.1% across 59 tests. The 1991 model year has the lowest pass rate at 74.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Toyota Celsior Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Toyota Celsior THIS CAR 81.8% 708 115,067 mi 35 yrs
Toyota Yaris 77.7% 9,038,234 54,896 mi 27 yrs
Toyota Corolla 75.4% 4,239,724 75,409 mi 36 yrs
Toyota Avensis 75% 3,497,866 89,776 mi 28 yrs
Ford Focus Style TDCI 85.5% 779 101,083 mi — yrs

Compared to the Toyota Yaris (77.7% pass rate) and the Toyota Corolla (75.4% pass rate), the Toyota Celsior outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Toyota Celsior?

The Toyota Celsior has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.8% across 708 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Toyota Celsior are suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (19 recorded failures), brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (15), and suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (12). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Toyota Celsior owner drives around 3,904 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Toyota Celsior models stay on UK roads for around 35 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Toyota Celsior — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Toyota Celsior reliable?
Based on 708 MOT tests, the Toyota Celsior has a 81.8% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Toyota Celsior?
The most common MOT failures are suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint, brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick, and suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Toyota Celsior do per year?
The typical Toyota Celsior does around 3,904 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Toyota Celsior last?
Most Toyota Celsior models stay on UK roads for around 35 years based on our analysis of 104 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Toyota Celsior?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Toyota Celsior?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Toyota Celsior is 2003 with a 88.1% pass rate across 59 tests.