MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Yaris years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2010 and 2015 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Yaris Full report
F
Grade 2010–2020
2010 vs model median 2.1×
Model median3× median
Airbags & Restraints 11
Lights & Visibility 6
Body & Interior 6
Avoid

2010 · 2015

Best

2017 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
2.12× 42 F
2012
0.80× 11 C
2015
1.52× 16 D
2017
0.91× 21 C
2019
1.09× 35 C
2020
0.44× 13 A

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2010 F 42 reports · median 13,000 mi

  1. Airbags & Restraints 11

    The contact owns a 2010 toyota yaris. While the vehicle was parked he noticed that the rear drivers side seat belt only fastens into the rear middle seat buckle and the rear middle seat belt only buckles into the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Lights & Visibility 6

    Drivers side window shattered spontaneously 2010 toyota yaris. On the highway approximately 45 MPH. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 6

    The AC system started dripping noise and the right passenger side floor is soaked with water from underneath. The dealership wants to charge me alot of money but I read online that this is a common occurrence with these… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 1 fire · 9 injuries

2015 D 16 reports · median 35,000 mi

  1. Brakes 3

    Sudden unintended acceleration with speed of almost 100 MPH, brakes not slowing vehicle wile traveling e/b on freeway and exiting off ramp and colliding with another vehicle traveling n/b on city street chp collision… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Speed Control 3

    The toyota 4 door yaris suddenly accelerated upon initiating movement from a right turn stop. The vehicle accelerated to approximately 30 MPH within 100 ft. And caused a head on with ford 250 truck. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Airbags & Restraints 3

    Installed factory new control module from toyota, had nalley toyota, roswell, ga reset the airbag. Halley determined that the new control unit was defective and replaced the brand new unit with another new unit. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 17 injuries

The best year for the Yaris

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring Yaris model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.5 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.44× 13 A
2017 0.91× 21 C
2012 0.80× 11 C

Recalls

19 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
15V689000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS 2010 1,814,284
16V340000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 1,754,517
14V168000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 1,486,413
19V741000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2012 928,220
18V024000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 628,018
17V006000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2012 577,875
14V169000 SEATS 2010 472,388
10V035000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 271,417
10V036000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 153,418
18V025000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2012 116,126
19V319000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW 2015, 2017 43,221
21V617000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2019, 2020 31,307

+ 7 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2010 were reported at a median of 13,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Yaris years should you avoid?
2010, 2015 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Yaris model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Yaris?
2020 is the best-scoring Toyota Yaris model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.5 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Yaris have?
19 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Yaris model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2010 Yaris
Complaints in window
42
Severity-weighted
77
Model median (weighted)
36
vs model median
2.12×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
9
Open investigations
1
Score 28.6 F