Import a Toyota Aqua from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
Sold as the Prius c in North America and never sold new in Ireland. The Yaris Hybrid is the closest Irish-market cousin.
The Aqua is the cheapest way into a Toyota hybrid and one of the most common Japanese imports on Irish forecourts. It is small, frugal and mechanically simple, and because it was only ever sold in Japan, every one here came through the import channel.
The catch is evidence. The Aqua has no EU type-approval figures, so the CO2 and NOx numbers Revenue uses for VRT come from a paid disclosure request, and the band you land in is the biggest swing in the final price.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 11.25% to 11.25%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €9,221 to €16,661
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 80, 95, 110 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 80–110 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 NHP10, 80,000 kmHybrid | ¥650,000 | €9,000 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €9,424 | €9,221–€9,626 | Open |
| 2019 NHP10, 45,000 kmHybrid | ¥1,050,000 | €13,000 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €12,676 | €12,383–€12,968 | Open |
| 2021 MXPK10, 30,000 kmHybrid | ¥1,500,000 | €17,000 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €16,279 | €15,896–€16,661 | Open |
- 2016 NHP10, 80,000 km: Hammer price and Irish value are assumptions for an average grade-4 car; 95 g/km assumes a disclosure in the middle of the likely range.
- 2019 NHP10, 45,000 km: A clean late first-generation car; the Irish value sits inside the DoneDeal cluster for 2019 cars.
- 2021 MXPK10, 30,000 km: Second-generation cars are still scarce here, so the Irish value is the least certain input in this table.
VRT and the OMSP
VRT is a percentage of Revenue’s Open Market Selling Price, its view of the car’s value in Ireland, not what you paid in Japan. For a model never sold new here that value is set by statistical code and adjusted for age and mileage, and it can be appealed within 30 days of registration with a professional valuation.
The CO2 figure decides the percentage. With no EU figure on the paperwork, a disclosure request supplies one; the table shows how the landed cost moves between 80, 95 and 110 g/km.
NOx levy
Hybrids certify very low NOx, usually a few euro of levy. Without evidence Revenue charges the €600 default, so make sure the disclosure covers NOx as well as CO2.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Japanese-built, so 0% customs duty applies under the EU–Japan agreement, provided the exporter supplies a Statement on Origin. Without it, 10% of the customs value is charged. Ask for the statement before you bid, not after.
Built in: Japan (Toyota Motor East Japan, Iwate). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
Because the Aqua was never sold here, some insurers rate it as an unfamiliar model or decline it over parts availability; others map it to the Yaris Hybrid or Prius c and quote normally. Allianz, AXA (AA), FBD, 123.ie and SuperValu Insurance have all quoted Japanese imports in 2026 forum and press reports. Check the car has a factory immobiliser and get a quote before you commit.
Generations
- NHP10 (December 2011 to 2021): 1.5-litre petrol hybrid. Most imports are this car.
- MXPK10 (2021 on): second generation with the newer hybrid system and a bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery. Dearer to buy, and Irish values follow.
Before you bid
- Hybrid battery age on 2011–2015 cars; there is no manufacturer battery warranty once the car leaves Japan.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
- The radio needs a band expander for Irish FM (Japan uses 76–90 MHz) and the navigation unit is in Japanese; most buyers fit an aftermarket head unit.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- Japanese exporter stock in 2026 showed 2018–2020 cars from roughly €3,600 to €8,100 FOB depending heavily on mileage, with a clean 50,000 km 2019 example near the top of that range (research brief, exporter listings).
- Irish-registered Aquas listed on DoneDeal in September 2026 clustered between about €7,990 for a 2013 car and €12,950 for a 2019, with several hundred ads live at any time.
- One importer’s worked example put a higher-spec Aqua at about €11,000 to buy and about €17,775 all-in. Importer examples are directional, not audited.
Questions people ask
Is a Toyota Aqua duty-free to import?
Yes, if the exporter provides a Statement on Origin: every Aqua is Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate applies. Without the statement, 10% duty is charged on the customs value.
What VRT band is a Toyota Aqua?
It depends on the CO2 figure Revenue accepts, which for an Aqua comes from a disclosure request rather than EU paperwork. The worked scenarios show the band and the landed cost at 80, 95 and 110 g/km.
Is an Aqua the same as a Prius c?
Mechanically yes: the Prius c was the North American name for the first-generation Aqua. Insurers and parts suppliers sometimes use the Prius c or the Yaris Hybrid as the reference model.
Can I insure a Japanese-import Aqua in Ireland?
Usually, but shop around: some insurers decline unfamiliar Japan-only models over parts availability. Disclose that it is an import, confirm it has a factory immobiliser, and get a quote before you buy.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real Aqua
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.