Van · 1996–2021 cars

Toyota Hiace reliability

The Toyota Hiace fails 35.4% of first MOT tests, 17% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 49,583 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

Better than averageReliability score 66/100#1 of 40 vans

Checking a Toyota Hiace before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%): 35.4%; first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage: 17% fewer; fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024: 49,583; MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings: 12,400; typical miles a year, from MOT readings

MOT fail rate by age

How the Toyota Hiace ages

Each point is the share of Toyota Hiaces of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

Toyota HiaceAll cars

Toyota Hiace first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)	Toyota Hiace	All cars
6	23.5%	19.1%
7	30.9%	22.1%
8	28.2%	25.5%
9	32.7%	28.8%
10	26.9%	31.8%
11	30.5%	34.6%
12	30.6%	37.3%
13	31.4%	39.5%
14	32.7%	41.1%
15	34%	42.3%
16	36%	42.9%
17	35.9%	43.4%
18	37.5%	43.5%
19	37%	43.4%
20	37%	42.8%
21	39%	41.4%
22	38.1%	40.6%
23	40.2%	38.9%
24	41.8%	37.1%
25	37.4%	35.8%

By year

The best and worst Toyota Hiace years

2009 cars come out best and 1998 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.

Toyota Hiace MOT results by year of first registration
First registered	Tests	Fail rate	Against same-age cars	Typical mileage
2017	216	29.2%	25% more fails	92,694
2016	302	24.2%	6% fewer fails	103,182
2015	324	34.6%	19% more fails	99,719
2014	210	24.8%	21% fewer fails	100,528
2013	303	29.4%	14% fewer fails	103,363
2012	486	29.2%	16% fewer fails	109,478
2011 Hiace	1,803	30.2%	20% fewer fails	122,118
2010 Hiace	2,939	32.7%	19% fewer fails	127,755
2009 Hiace	3,053	31%	26% fewer fails	126,163
2008 Hiace	5,627	33%	23% fewer fails	134,361
2007 Hiace	6,147	33.4%	24% fewer fails	139,539
2006 Hiace	5,050	36.6%	18% fewer fails	144,994
2005 Hiace	4,390	35.8%	21% fewer fails	148,206
2004 Hiace	4,026	37.9%	16% fewer fails	146,828
2003 Hiace	3,434	38.7%	15% fewer fails	151,040
2002 Hiace	2,790	38%	15% fewer fails	146,118
2001 Hiace	2,474	39.2%	10% fewer fails	144,412
2000 Hiace	2,093	41.2%	3% fewer fails	140,147
1999 Hiace	1,745	38%	6% fewer fails	136,553
1998 Hiace	1,531	40.2%	0% more fails	153,423
1997	382	38.7%	3% fewer fails	155,031

Common problems

What fails most on a Toyota Hiace

Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

Lights and electrics17%19% below avg
Suspension13.1%25% below avg
Brakes9.1%33% below avg
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors7.6%8% above avg
Body, chassis and structure6.6%27% below avg
Exhaust, emissions and leaks4.4%36% below avg
Tyres4%45% below avg
Seat belts and airbags2%34% below avg
Number plates and VIN0.7%4% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

1
Position lamp not working 5.23% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Suspension mounting area seriously corroded 4.85% of tests
Corrosion near suspension mountings can seriously weaken the body structure, so an expert inspection is needed.
3
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen 4.04% of tests
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
4
Stop lamp not working 3.65% of tests
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
5
Rigid brake pipe excessively corroded 2.72% of tests
Badly corroded brake pipes can leak or fail, which can cause a loss of braking, so repair is urgent.
6
Anti-roll bar linkage pin/bush excessively worn 2.25% of tests
Worn linkage pins or bushes cause knocking and poor handling, and can get worse, so they need replacing.
7
Registration plate lamp not working 1.89% of tests
A dark number plate lamp makes the plate hard to read at night, which is illegal and must be fixed.
8
Windscreen washer fluid insufficient 1.73% of tests
Washers are not supplying enough liquid, so the windscreen cannot be cleared properly, which is a safety issue.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Toyota Hiace's MOT certificate most often.

Brake pipes corroded and greasy15.97%
Tyre worn close to legal limit11.91%
Wheel bearing slight play7.55%
Anti-roll bar linkage pin/bush worn7.39%
Coil spring showing some corrosion7.12%
Tyre slightly damaged or cracking5.92%

Before you buy

What to check on a used Toyota Hiace

1
Position lamp not working
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Suspension mounting area seriously corroded
Corrosion near suspension mountings can seriously weaken the body structure, so an expert inspection is needed.
3
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
4
Stop lamp not working
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
6
The mileage record
A typical Toyota Hiace covers about 12,400 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

Diesel94.6%
Petrol5.3%
LPG0.1%
Other0%
Hybrid0%

Most common colours

White, Silver, Blue, Red, Black

Average engine size: 2.5 litres.

Compare

How the Toyota Hiace compares with its rivals

Toyota Hiace against similar models
Model	Fail rate	Against same-age cars
Toyota Hiace	35.4%	17% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Renault Master	34.9%	about average for its age
Citroën Relay	36.3%	13% more MOT fails than the average car its age
Citroën Nemo	41.5%	22% more MOT fails than the average car its age
Peugeot Bipper	41.8%	23% more MOT fails than the average car its age
Ford Transit Courier	29.5%	37% more MOT fails than the average car its age
Mercedes-Benz Citan	37.2%	52% more MOT fails than the average car its age

Every van ranked in the van reliability index, or all Toyota models.

Questions

Toyota Hiace questions, answered

Is the Toyota Hiace reliable?

On MOT results, the Toyota Hiace is better than average: it fails 35.4% of first MOT tests, 17% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 1 of 40 van models in our index.

What fails most on a Toyota Hiace MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the Toyota Hiace are position lamp not working (5.23% of tests), suspension mounting area seriously corroded (4.85% of tests), wiper blade not clearing windscreen (4.04% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 17% of its tests.

Which Toyota Hiace year is the most reliable?

Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2009 cars do best (26% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 1998 cars do worst (about average for its age).

How many miles does a Toyota Hiace do a year?

A typical Toyota Hiace covers about 12,400 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a Toyota Hiace before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

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