Hi Ollie,

Generally speaking, the Avensis is, like so many Toyotas, right at the top of the reliability game. You’ll want to check a few things though — first, see if it’s been used as a taxi. Many have been and it’ll have had dog’s abuse if that’s the case. Second, check the rear brakes. The electronic parking brake has a habit of leaving the rear brakes just touching, causing premature pad wear, and potentially damaging the brake calipers. Check the cabin for interior rattles and squeaks, too, as they’re common and devilishly difficult to track down and sort. Other than that, just make sure that it comes with a full service history and it should be fine.