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Toyota Yaris vs Vauxhall Corsa: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Toyota Yaris does better at its MOT: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 8.8 percentage points ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 143,797 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict; the common faults below cover the rest.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Toyota Yaris
Pass rate79.5%
Age-matched national75.7%
Difference+3.8
Tests49,396
Vauxhall Corsa
Pass rate71.0%
Age-matched national76.0%
Difference-5.0
Tests94,401

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Toyota Yaris registered 2000–2022 and Vauxhall Corsas registered 2001–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Toyota Yaris

XP210, 2020+ · supermini hybrid hatch

The XP210 Toyota Yaris Hybrid (2020+) is among the most reliable cars sold in the UK. The hybrid system is solid; minor concerns are early-batch AC compressor failures, the 12V auxiliary battery on cars left unused, and brake squeak (cosmetic, common across all hybrids). The pre-2020 XP130 had rear-beam corrosion in coastal areas — XP210 unaffected. Best-buy: any year. Worst: none.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/055recall
    The initialization of the radar sensor may not have been completed correctly
    42,554 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 6 July 2020 and 21 June 2021
    Large recall — 42,554 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2023/279recall
    On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable.
    27,327 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 30 June 2021 and 28 July 2023
    Large recall — 27,327 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • AC compressor (early-batch)moderate
    AC blows warm; clicking from compressor
    Early 2020 production · £650–£950 compressor + regas
    Check: Test AC during inspection — should be cold within 1 minute on a warm day.
  • 12V auxiliary battery (unused cars)minor
    Hybrid system won't wake; "READY" not appearing
    All XP210 · Battery age 4–5 years · £220–£350
    Check: Toyota battery health check at dealer (£20–£30).
Typical asking price:
£11,999–£28,990, median £15,499 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
58–69 mpg official WLTP combined for the 1.5 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet).
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Used Toyota Yaris for saleFull Yaris fault guideUsed Toyotas

Also compare:

Vauxhall Corsa

Mk5 (E) 2014–2019, Mk6 (F) 2019+ · supermini / city hatch

The Vauxhall Corsa Mk6 (2019+) uses the PSA 1.2 PureTech engine, which is efficient but runs its timing belt in engine oil — the "wet belt" that has caused engine failures across Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall. Stellantis cut the interval to 6 years or 62,000 miles, so what matters is whether the belt has been done, not the model year. The older Mk5 (2014–2019) with the 1.4 non-turbo petrol avoids the issue; its Easytronic automated-manual is the main risk. Best-buy: Mk5 1.4 manual, or a Mk6 with a documented belt change.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/046recall
    The customer might not be alerted to a malfunction of the turn indicator
    66,176 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 28 August 2019 and 31 May 2021
    Large recall — 66,176 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2019/070recall
    The lambda control might not be robust/precise enough at high speed
    53,981 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 5 January 2018 and 9 April 2019
    Large recall — 53,981 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.2 PureTech wet timing belt (Mk6)critical
    Oil level dropping between services; rattle or whine on cold start; engine warning light; in the worst case sudden oil-pressure loss and engine failure
    2019–2023 Mk6 (1.2 PureTech petrol — the wet belt was phased out for a chain from 2023) · Belt is due at 6 years or 62,000 miles, whichever comes first — failures cluster on cars that passed it · £450–£850 at a UK independent for the belt including cleaning the oil pick-up; £4,000+ if the belt has already shed debris and starved the engine
    Check: This engine runs its timing belt submerged in engine oil. As the belt ages it sheds rubber particles, and those particles block the oil pick-up strainer — so the belt does not usually snap, it starves the engine instead. Ask one question: has the belt been changed, and is there an invoice? Stellantis revised the interval down to 6 years or 62,000 miles with annual oil changes on the correct 5W-30, so a 2019–2020 car is at or past it now. Pull the dipstick and treat a low level as a red flag. Stellantis also runs a UK compensation portal covering qualifying wet-belt repairs paid for between January 2022 and December 2024, and a warranty extension of up to 10 years / 112,000 miles on these engines — worth checking before you accept any quote.
  • Easytronic automated-manual (Mk5)major
    Hesitation and shuddering in slow traffic; clutch actuator warning; slow gearchanges
    Mk5 with Easytronic (not the 5-speed manual) · 50,000+ miles · £600–£1,200 clutch actuator + clutch plate; full Easytronic overhaul £1,500+
    Check: Test drive in stop-start traffic only. Smooth clutch engagement on pull-away is the test. Any shudder = actuator worn. Check exactly which gearbox is fitted — Easytronic vs manual via VIN.
Typical asking price:
£3,499–£12,490, median £6,750 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
1.2 PureTech: 40–49 mpg. 1.4 N/A (Mk5): 36–44 mpg
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2023
Years to avoid:
2019, 2020
Used Vauxhall Corsas for saleFull Corsa fault guideUsed Vauxhalls

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Toyota Yaris

Good for: Urban drivers, first-time buyers, anyone prioritising lowest running costs.

Less good for: Long-distance highway commuters wanting cabin space.

Vauxhall Corsa

Good for: First-time buyers on a budget; urban commuters; buyers wanting low running costs. The Mk5 1.4 manual is the most forgiving used car buy in the UK under £10,000.

Less good for: Anyone considering a 2019–2020 Mk6 1.2 PureTech without confirmed service history — the wet timing belt risk is real. Buyers needing a car primarily for motorway miles (too small for comfort).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Toyota Yaris or the Vauxhall Corsa?
On the MOT measure, the Toyota Yaris: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 8.8 percentage points ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa on first-time MOT passes, across 143,797 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Toyota Yaris and the Vauxhall Corsa compare?
79.5% of Toyota Yaris pass their MOT first time (49,396 tests in DVSA's records) and 71.0% of Vauxhall Corsas pass their MOT first time (94,401 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Toyota Yaris's age average 75.7% and cars of the Vauxhall Corsa's age 76.0% — so the Toyota Yaris runs 3.8 points better than its age group and the Vauxhall Corsa runs 5.0 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Corsa should I avoid?
Toyota Yaris: No standout bad year in XP210. Pre-2020 XP130 had documented rear-beam corrosion in coastal areas — that generation is the one to avoid. Vauxhall Corsa: 2019–2020 Mk6 cars are now past the revised 6-year/62,000-mile belt interval, and this is the failure that matters: the belt degrades in the oil, the debris blocks the oil pick-up, and the engine is starved rather than the belt snapping. A car of these years with no belt invoice is carrying an open-ended risk, and repair once debris has circulated runs well beyond the cost of the belt itself.
Is the Toyota Yaris or the Vauxhall Corsa cheaper to run?
On fuel it depends on the engine. Toyota Yaris: 58–69 mpg official WLTP combined for the 1.5 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet). Vauxhall Corsa: 1.2 PureTech: 40–49 mpg. 1.4 N/A (Mk5): 36–44 mpg. WLTP figures are official lab results; your own driving can return a different figure. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Toyota Yaris or Vauxhall Corsa registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.