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Toyota: reliability & common problems

#2 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~182k
~146k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
760
Toyotas inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
63/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 760 used Toyotas we inspected, they are in about average shape — average condition 63/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Oil leaks · Engine
47%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
36%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
27%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
21%
Leaking or worn shock absorbers · Suspension
20%

Share of inspected Toyotas where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 29% Good 28% Mediocre 24% Poor 19%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Toyotas.

78%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 74%
4%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
18%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 24%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Toyota vs Honda · Toyota vs Ford · Toyota vs Chevrolet

How long does a Toyota last?

Across every Toyota body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~146k miles. It ranks Toyota #2 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~182k. Shopping a Toyota near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 100% in good shape (25 cars) 20–40k mi: 90% in good shape (61 cars) 40–60k mi: 80% in good shape (56 cars) 60–80k mi: 86% in good shape (97 cars) 80–100k mi: 59% in good shape (73 cars) 100–120k mi: 61% in good shape (107 cars) 120–140k mi: 45% in good shape (83 cars) 140–160k mi: 34% in good shape (90 cars) 160–180k mi: 32% in good shape (65 cars) 180–200k mi: 22% in good shape (36 cars) 200–220k mi: 22% in good shape (23 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 100% in good shape (20 cars) 2 years old: 95% in good shape (37 cars) 3 years old: 89% in good shape (27 cars) 4 years old: 93% in good shape (30 cars) 5 years old: 88% in good shape (43 cars) 6 years old: 78% in good shape (41 cars) 7 years old: 73% in good shape (45 cars) 8 years old: 74% in good shape (43 cars) 9 years old: 56% in good shape (59 cars) 10 years old: 67% in good shape (52 cars) 11 years old: 61% in good shape (36 cars) 12 years old: 45% in good shape (42 cars) 13 years old: 33% in good shape (55 cars) 14 years old: 39% in good shape (41 cars) 15 years old: 32% in good shape (44 cars) 16 years old: 28% in good shape (29 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Toyotas in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Toyota getting better?
▲ Newer Toyotas are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 69% in good shape (age-adjusted; 59 cars, raw 64%) 69 2015–17: 74% in good shape (age-adjusted; 120 cars, raw 70%) 74 2018–20: 75% in good shape (age-adjusted; 74 cars, raw 80%) 75 2021+: 76% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 89%) 76 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+

Share of Toyotas in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Toyota models we've inspected
RAV4 56 cars · 80% good Prius 65 cars · 68% good Tacoma 55 cars · 65% good Highlander 41 cars · 64% good Corolla 117 cars · 62% good Sienna 48 cars · 56% good Camry 117 cars · 55% good Tundra 58 cars · 55% good Avalon 30 cars · 50% good 4Runner 70 cars · 47% good Sequoia 15 cars · profile soon Land Cruiser 15 cars · profile soon FJ Cruiser 12 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2024 Toyota Tacoma · 15k mi — flagged: dirty or low engine oil, power mirrors. Inspected Oct 23.
2019 Toyota Tacoma · 69k mi — flagged: sway bars, worn suspension joints, boots. Inspected Oct 22.
The bottom line

Toyota stays decent longer than nearly every brand ranked — second of 24, past 146,000 miles — so do not reject a car for mileage alone. Reject sloppy engines: oil leaks are the headline fault, fuel-trim issues come with them, and a repainted panel is ordinary, so fresh paint proves nothing about care. Structural repairs match the wider fleet, not a special risk, while codes are cleared less often than elsewhere, so active faults on a scan should move the price. Start with leaks, tires, and shocks. Skip the 2012–14 window, the clear laggard; from 2015 on, condition barely improves, so buy the cleaner car, not the newer badge.

FAQ
?
Is Toyota reliable?
57% of the 760 Toyotas we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 63/100 — they are in about average shape.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Toyota?
Across the Toyotas we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (47%), tires condition & wear (36%), active error codes (27%).
?
Are newer Toyotas more reliable than older ones?
Yes — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), newer Toyotas hold up clearly better than the early-2010s ones.
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Based on 760 inspections · updated Oct 24, 2026