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Toyota Townace Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Toyota Townace car check

Is the Toyota Townace reliable? We analysed 11,814 real MOT tests across 1,648 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 11,814 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
67.4%
Typical Mileage
140,903mi
Annual Mileage
6,325mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
38yrs

The Toyota Townace 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 Townace.

Toyota Townace Number Plates

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

Toyota Townace MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

72.7%
2012
73.6%
2010
77.9%
2009
70%
2008
74.9%
2007
73.3%
2006
72.2%
2005
67.9%
2004
65.4%
2003
66.2%
2002
66%
2001
67.8%
2000
67.7%
1999
66%
1998
68.1%
1997
70.3%
1996
65.9%
1995
69%
1994
67.4%
1993
65.7%
1992

Toyota Townace Problems — What Goes Wrong?

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

fog lamp not working 723
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 626
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 539
Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine 468
Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush 431
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 431
position lamp(s) not working 402
Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 366
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 328
Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush 287

Toyota Townace Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
2,886 mi/yr
Typical
6,325 mi/yr
Average
7,874 mi/yr
Heavy usage
10,415 mi/yr

Toyota Townace MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2012 183 72.7% 108,642 151,028 169,766
2010 148 73.6% 106,826 134,009 157,492
2009 77 77.9% 112,950 141,606 156,047
2008 307 70.0% 123,644 156,628 203,373
2007 219 74.9% 72,920 101,731 142,410
2006 389 73.3% 78,937 105,171 128,133
2005 389 72.2% 75,795 107,166 143,883
2004 624 67.9% 107,766 139,102 162,798
2003 1,101 65.4% 109,775 139,412 172,235
2002 1,291 66.2% 114,721 138,342 169,200
2001 473 66.0% 122,497 150,310 176,921
2000 724 67.8% 118,065 154,740 188,230
1999 440 67.7% 112,596 147,760 171,388
1998 388 66.0% 133,972 162,641 189,472
1997 595 68.1% 99,181 137,022 176,045
1996 539 70.3% 96,520 131,567 164,599
1995 317 65.9% 98,763 142,904 190,999
1994 274 69.0% 98,213 128,430 159,431
1993 503 67.4% 86,177 131,537 177,232
1992 551 65.7% 117,762 138,670 164,267

How Long Does a Toyota Townace Last?

Based on 1,648 Toyota Townace vehicles on UK roads.

Average
12.4 years
Median
13.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
38 years

Toyota Townace Mileage Distribution

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

Median
140,903 mi
75th Percentile
173,139 mi
95th Percentile
231,441 mi
Max Recorded
611,172 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Toyota Townace

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

Best year
2009

77.9% MOT pass rate from 77 tests

Year to avoid
1991

63.6% MOT pass rate from 1,126 tests

The best year to buy a used Toyota Townace is 2009, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 77.9% across 77 tests. The 1991 model year has the lowest pass rate at 63.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Toyota Townace Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Toyota Townace THIS CAR 67.4% 11,814 140,903 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
Seat Arona FR Ecotsi 88.8% 7,476 26,260 mi — yrs

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

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Should you buy a used Toyota Townace?

The Toyota Townace has an overall MOT pass rate of 67.4% across 11,814 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Toyota Townace are fog lamp not working (723 recorded failures), tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (626), and exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (539). 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 Townace owner drives around 6,325 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 Townace 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 Townace — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Toyota Townace reliable?
Based on 11,814 MOT tests, the Toyota Townace has a 67.4% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Toyota Townace?
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 Townace do per year?
The typical Toyota Townace does around 6,325 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Toyota Townace last?
Most Toyota Townace models stay on UK roads for around 38 years based on our analysis of 1,648 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Toyota Townace?
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 Townace?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Toyota Townace is 2009 with a 77.9% pass rate across 77 tests.