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Toyota Town Ace Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Toyota Town Ace car check

Is the Toyota Town Ace reliable? We analysed 5,874 real MOT tests across 1,070 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 5,874 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
65.1%
Typical Mileage
149,928mi
Annual Mileage
6,058mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
38yrs

The Toyota Town Ace is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include fog lamp not working, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm and exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Toyota Town Ace.

Toyota Town Ace Number Plates

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

Toyota Town Ace MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

68%
2007
66.2%
2004
65.8%
2003
63.4%
2002
65.5%
2001
65.2%
2000
65.1%
1999
66.9%
1998
67.5%
1997
69.1%
1996
58.2%
1995
65%
1994
63.3%
1993
64.9%
1992
65.4%
1991
61.8%
1990
67.1%
1989
59.8%
1988

Toyota Town Ace Problems — What Goes Wrong?

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

fog lamp not working 436
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 417
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 316
Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine 303
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 297
Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 256
position lamp(s) not working 231
Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush 224
Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush 187
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 186

Toyota Town Ace Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
2,826 mi/yr
Typical
6,058 mi/yr
Average
7,398 mi/yr
Heavy usage
9,949 mi/yr

Toyota Town Ace MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2007 103 68.0% 36,068 64,681 85,864
2004 136 66.2% 71,298 119,022 183,912
2003 196 65.8% 106,936 131,838 165,442
2002 131 63.4% 102,846 132,918 189,319
2001 600 65.5% 121,015 153,214 185,569
2000 666 65.2% 120,761 151,954 177,316
1999 780 65.1% 125,584 157,248 184,737
1998 323 66.9% 139,721 161,571 182,117
1997 169 67.5% 88,528 151,675 184,521
1996 81 69.1% 78,839 139,623 181,326
1995 67 58.2% 110,646 144,533 185,086
1994 103 65.0% 129,181 162,681 200,544
1993 196 63.3% 108,990 136,469 158,181
1992 348 64.9% 114,363 134,702 179,376
1991 667 65.4% 127,253 150,082 179,768
1990 680 61.8% 131,863 160,716 200,493
1989 371 67.1% 135,525 158,802 184,278
1988 112 59.8% 137,778 160,772 191,468

How Long Does a Toyota Town Ace Last?

Based on 1,070 Toyota Town Ace vehicles on UK roads.

Average
12.7 years
Median
13.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
38 years

Toyota Town Ace Mileage Distribution

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

Median
149,928 mi
75th Percentile
182,734 mi
95th Percentile
231,095 mi
Max Recorded
887,499 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Toyota Town Ace

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

Best year
1996

69.1% MOT pass rate from 81 tests

Year to avoid
1995

58.2% MOT pass rate from 67 tests

The best year to buy a used Toyota Town Ace is 1996, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 69.1% across 81 tests. The 1995 model year has the lowest pass rate at 58.2% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Toyota Town Ace Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Toyota Town Ace THIS CAR 65.1% 5,874 149,928 mi 38 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
Smart Forfour Pure 73.3% 4,263 62,734 mi 21 yrs

Compared to the Toyota Yaris (77.7% pass rate) and the Toyota Corolla (75.4% pass rate), the Toyota Town Ace trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.

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Should you buy a used Toyota Town Ace?

The Toyota Town Ace has an overall MOT pass rate of 65.1% across 5,874 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Toyota Town Ace are fog lamp not working (436 recorded failures), tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (417), and exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (316). 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 Town Ace owner drives around 6,058 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 Town Ace models stay on UK roads for around 38 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 Town Ace — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Toyota Town Ace reliable?
Based on 5,874 MOT tests, the Toyota Town Ace has a 65.1% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Toyota Town Ace?
The most common MOT failures are fog lamp not working, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Toyota Town Ace do per year?
The typical Toyota Town Ace does around 6,058 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Toyota Town Ace last?
Most Toyota Town Ace models stay on UK roads for around 38 years based on our analysis of 1,070 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Toyota Town Ace?
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 Town Ace?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Toyota Town Ace is 1996 with a 69.1% pass rate across 81 tests.