The right grade of oil is vital to keep your Toyota’s engine working at its best. The vehicle specification chapter in the owner’s manual will confirm the right grade for your car and your region.
Engine oil isn’t something you want to compromise on. Using the right lubricant keeps your engine running smoothly and preserves the life of its components. In fact, using the wrong grade of oil could be a costly mistake.
That’s especially true for diesels, which are very sensitive to the wrong grade. The wrong grade of lubricant can cause the Diesel Particulate Filter to fail, which could land you with a four-figure repair bill.
Engine oil: what the digits mean
There are a lot of numbers, letters and jargon surrounding engine oil, which can make finding the right grade confusing.
Essentially, you need to use oil that is the recommended viscosity. This is the ‘thickness’ of the oil and is usually displayed prominently on the packaging. A high viscosity oil will be more treacle-like in consistency, whereas a low viscosity oil is thinner and more free-flowing. Modern Toyota engines generally use low viscosity oils as they reduce friction within the engine, cut down on wear and tear and contribute to better fuel economy.
The following table displays the recommended oil specification
for all current Toyota models and engine types.
| TOYOTA MODEL | RECOMMENDED ENGINE OIL GRADE |
| Aygo | 0W-16 |
| Yaris | 0W-16 |
| GR Yaris | 0W-20 |
| Yaris Cross | 0W-8 |
| Corolla | 0W-16 |
| Camry | 0W-16 |
| Toyota C-HR | 0W-16 |
| RAV4 | 0W-16 |
| RAV4 Plug-in | 0W-16 |
| Highlander | 0W-16 |
| GR 86 | TBC |
| GR Supra | 0W-20 |
| Prius | 0W-16 |
| Prius Plug-in | 0W-16 |
| Land Cruiser (all) | 0W-30 |
| Hilux (all) | 0W-30 |
| Proace (all diesels) | Please refer to your local Toyota centre |
| Proace Verso (all) | Please refer to your local Toyota centre |
Engine oil: older Toyota models
The following table displays the recommended oil specification
for the most frequently requested older Toyota models and engine types.
| MODEL | GENERATION / YEARS | ENGINE | RECOMMENDED OIL |
| Aygo | First-gen / 2005-2014 | 1.0-litre petrol | 0W-20 or 5W-30 |
| Yaris | First-gen / 1999-2005 | 1.3-litre petrol | 5W-30 |
| Yaris | Second-gen / 2006-2009 | 1.3-litre petrol | 5W-30 |
| Yaris | Second-gen / 2009-2011 | 1.33-litre petrol | 0W-20 |
| Yaris | Third-gen / 2011-2017 | 1.33-litre petrol | 0W-20 |
| Corolla | Ninth-gen / 2000-2006 | All petrol and diesel | 5W-30 |
| Auris | First-gen / 2007-2012 | 1.6-litre petrol | 5W-30 |
| Avensis | Second-gen / 2003-2009 | 1.8-litre petrol | 5W-30 |
| Avensis | Second-gen / 2003-2009 | 2.0-litre diesel | 5W-30 |
| Avensis | Third-gen / 2009-2018 | 1.8-litre petrol | 5W-30 |
| Avensis | Third-gen / 2009-2018 | 2.0-litre diesel | 0W-30 |
How a specialist can help
If in doubt, seek help from your local Toyota centre. Our trained technicians and service advisors know Toyota cars inside out, and will be able to advise on the correct oil for your vehicle and maintenance schedule (Proace and Proace Verso). Toyota Genuine Motor Oil has been specifically formulated for use with our engines. You can’t buy better oil for your Toyota.
Whether you replace the engine oil yourself or ask a Toyota centre to do it for you, a regular oil change at the specified mileage or time is important. Even long-life oils become less effective over time, as the repeated cycles of heating and cooling steadily degrades the oil’s properties.
Your local Toyota centre isn’t the only place where you can buy Toyota Genuine Motor Oil. Head over to our online store and you can order oil to be delivered to your home or office. Wherever you buy your Toyota Genuine Motor Oil from, using the right grade is vital to preserve the performance, economy and reliability of your car.
Coined from toyota.co.uk
