Used Toyota Urban Cruiser review and buying guide (2009 to 2013): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Toyota Urban Cruiser should you buy?

There's only one Urban Cruiser to choose from: it went on sale in 2009 and was quietly dropped from the UK range in February 2013, so the year on the logbook matters less than the car in front of you. It's a short record with few reports either way, so don't read the lack of complaints as a clean bill of health.

The 1.4 D-4D with four-wheel drive is the one that's built up a pattern. Three reports describe its clutch giving up between 20,000 and 24,000 miles, two of them taking the dual mass flywheel too. It corners well and it's good fun on the road, so it isn't one to rule out, but favour a car with an invoice showing that work's already been done.

Whichever car you go for, make sure both recalls have been carried out. The 2012 one covers a weld on the steering column bracket of cars with a wheel that adjusts for height and reach, and the 2014 one deals with a spring in the front seat lock that can snap and stop the seat holding its position.

Which Urban Cruiser engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 1.4 D-4D 4WD's weak point is the clutch and dual mass flywheel, not the engine itself. The gearing's fairly tall, which puts extra load on both, and one 2009 car needed a new clutch and flywheel at 22,000 miles. Another owner's clutch went at 20,000 miles, so a low reading doesn't let a car off.

There's little else to go on for the rest of the range, which is a thin record rather than a clean one. It launched without an automatic, so don't expect one on an early car. On a 4WD diesel, the clutch decides it: if there's no invoice showing the clutch and flywheel have been replaced, assume the originals are still fitted and judge them hard on the test drive.

What should you check when viewing a used Urban Cruiser?

On a 1.4 D-4D 4WD, the clutch and flywheel come first. Pull away gently, then accelerate hard in a high gear and feel for any slip or judder. If the seller says they've been replaced, ask to see the receipt rather than taking it on trust.

Look at the front brake discs through the wheels. One owner's 2009 car had corroded front discs at just 18,500 miles, so a low mileage is no guarantee here either. Heavy rust on the disc faces, or grinding when you brake on the test drive, means they'll need replacing.

Ask for proof both recalls were done: the 2012 steering column bracket check on cars with height and reach adjustment, and the 2014 front seat lock spring inspection. While you're inside, slide the driver's seat back and forth a few times and make sure it locks firmly every time.

One owner of a 2010 1.4 D-4D had an oil change warning light that kept coming back despite a full service just before they bought it, and the car went back to the dealer. Watch the dashboard on the test drive and ask the seller whether any warning has been reset recently.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Toyota Urban Cruiser cost to run?