UCF30 · UCF31
Toyota Celsior UCF30 import check
UCF30 is the factory model code for the Toyota Celsior UCF30, built for the Japanese market from 2000 to 2006. Other versions carry UCF31. Every genuine car has a chassis (frame) number that starts with its code, such as UCF30-. That number is the one thing that links its Japanese history to its UK records.
UCF30 at a glance
- Model code
- UCF30
- Make
- Toyota
- Model
- Celsior (UCF30)
- Body
- 4-door saloon
- Built
- 2000 to 2006
- Engine
- 3UZ-FE (4292 cc naturally aspirated petrol)
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Japanese trims
- A, B, C, eR Version, C F Package
- Chassis number format
- UCF30-nnnnnnn
From our own model library, compiled from public sources and not yet checked against a second source. UK records sometimes drop the hyphen or the leading zeros of the serial; our check allows for that.
Reading the UCF30 chassis code
- UCF30 and UCF31 are both the 4.3 V8. The last digit is reported to separate coil-sprung and air-sprung cars.
| Code | What it is | Engine | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCF30 | Celsior (UCF30) | 3UZ-FE | 2000–2006 |
| UCF31 | C specification with air suspensionNot yet confirmed | 3UZ-FE | 2000–2006 |
Have a chassis number? The chassis decoder reads it for you.
UCF30 factory power and torque
The figures Japanese buyers were quoted when the car was new. They are net figures in PS and kgm, as every Japanese brochure gives them; the conversions are ours. Japanese makers agreed not to advertise more than 280 PS from 1989 to 2004, so cars rated at 280 PS often made more.
| Engine | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|
| 3UZ-FEC | 280 PS (206 kW, 276 bhp) at 5,600 rpm | 43.8 kgm (430 Nm, 317 lb ft) at 3,400 rpmToyota’s used-car catalogue: Celsior C (UA-UCF31), August 2001 to August 2003 |
Factory specs from Japan’s official lists
Japan’s transport ministry lists every version on sale each year with its engine, gearbox, weight and official fuel economy. Open a code for the full table.
| Model type | Engines and gearboxes | Weight | Fuel economy | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCF30CBA-UCF30, DBA-UCF30, UA-UCF30 | 3UZ 4,292 cc petrol6-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive | 1,800–1,840 kg | 8.9 km/L25 mpg | 2004–2006 |
| UCF31CBA-UCF31, DBA-UCF31, UA-UCF31 | 3UZ 4,292 cc petrol6-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive | 1,820–1,880 kg | 8.9 km/L25 mpg | 2004–2006 |
Official Japanese test figures in km/L (the mpg is our conversion), usually better than real UK driving. “Listed” is the years of MLIT’s lists, not exact build dates. Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, fuel economy lists 2004–2026, used under the Public Data License 1.0. Edited and translated by JDM History.
Is it a genuine UCF30?
The Celsior is the Japanese-market twin of the Lexus LS 430. A Celsior has a Japanese frame number (UCF30-…); a UK LS 430 has a 17-character VIN.
Known problems to check on a UCF30
- Air suspension struts and compressor on air-sprung cars
- Electro Multi Vision screen and sat-nav faults
- The 3UZ-FE uses a timing belt: ask when it was last changed
- Japanese-market radio and sat-nav need a band expander or replacement in the UK
These are common issues for the model, not facts about any particular car. Ask the seller about each one.
Before you buy
- Check the car sits level after standing overnight (air suspension)
- Ask for the timing belt and water pump history
What UCF30 owners say
No owner reports yet. Own one, or had one? Tell other buyers what’s gone wrong, what it costs to run and where you get parts. We check every report before it’s published, and never show your name.
Owner reports are owners’ own experiences, not facts about any particular car. We check each one against our rules before publishing it, but can’t check that it’s accurate.
UCF30 factory colours
The paint code is on the model plate and stays the same after a respray, so check it against the paint, the V5C and the auction sheet. How to read it.
- 062White Pearl Crystal Shine
- 066Ivory Crystal Shine
- 072Silky White Pearl Crystal Shine
- 1C0Silver Metallic
- 1E0Dark Grey Mica
- 1F2Premium Silver
- 202Black
- 3P2Bordeaux Mica
- 3P4Rose Mica Metallic
- 4S1Greyish Brown Mica Metallic
- 6S5Green Mica Metallic
- 6S6Dark Green Mica
- 6T7Olive Mica Metallic
- 8P8Dark Blue Mica
From Japanese catalogue colour listings. Not every colour was offered every year, and special editions had their own.
The UCF30 on a Japanese auction sheet
- The sheet names the car セルシオ (Celsior).
Most imports were bought at a Japanese auction, and the inspector’s sheet records the grade, mileage and every mark on the body. Ask the seller for it, then run it through our auction sheet translator to read it in English and check the chassis number and mileage against the UK record.
Recalls in Japan for the UCF30 family
Japan publishes every recall with the chassis numbers it covers. Run a recall check with the car’s chassis number to see whether any apply to it.
Is the UCF30 ULEZ compliant?
London’s ULEZ, Birmingham, Bristol and the Scottish city zones ask for petrol Euro 4 or diesel Euro 6. Japanese-market cars weren’t tested to Euro standards, so what counts is the Japanese emissions rules each car was certified to. Its papers show them as a prefix on the model type, such as GH-UCF30.
| Built | Japanese rules | Usual code | ULEZ outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–2006 | 1978, 2000 or 2005 | GH-, DBA- or GF- | Borderline |
This is guidance from the build year, not a ruling on any car: the code on the car’s own auction sheet or export certificate tells you more, and TfL and the councils go by their own records. Enter the code in our ULEZ checker for imports to see each zone, and how to prove compliance if the official checker gets it wrong.
How many are left in the UK
We can’t say from the published figures. DVLA records most imported cars with no model name, and too few Toyota Celsior UCF30 cars carry one for a count to mean anything.
From the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we count.
Import cost and road tax
Most imported UCF30s are taxed on engine size, because they have no CO2 figure DVLA accepts: £375 a year for the 3UZ-FE. Our UCF30 import cost calculator adds up the rest from the yen price: shipping, duty, VAT, IVA or MOT and registration.
Kilometres, miles and the first UK MOT
A UCF30 sold new in Japan has a speedometer in kilometres. When it is imported, the speedometer is either converted to miles or left in km, and the first UK MOT should record whichever the dial shows. Mistakes here are common, and they’re where mileage problems hide.
We put the Japanese auction mileage and every UK MOT reading on one timeline and check the crossing: whether the readings agree after converting, whether the km figure was written down as miles, and whether the first UK reading is lower than the car had already done in Japan. See an illustrative example.
What we haven’t confirmed yet
We only state what we’re confident of. We haven’t yet checked these points about the Toyota Celsior UCF30 against a second source, so treat them with care:
- That UCF31 is the air-suspension C specification.
Know the answer? Email [email protected].
Sources and brochures
Where the facts on this page come from, the maker’s own first. Japanese brochures and press kits are the best record of what each version came with.
- Toyota’s used-car catalogue (トヨタ認定中古車 車両情報)
- Celsior C (UA-UCF31), August 2001 to August 2003
- Factory colour names: Celsior C (UA-UCF31), August 2001 to August 2003
- MLIT fuel economy lists (自動車の燃費一覧)
- fuel economy lists 2004–2026, for UCF30, UCF31
- Japanese catalogue colour listings
- factory colour codes and names
Some makers ask other sites to link only to their home page, or not at all, so for those we give the name to search for instead of a link.
Questions
What is the chassis code for the Toyota Celsior UCF30?
UCF30, with UCF31 for other engines or drive layouts. A Japanese-market Toyota Celsior UCF30 has a frame number that starts with its code, then a hyphen and a serial number. You’ll find it on the V5C and on a plate in the engine bay.
Which years was the UCF30 built?
From 2000 to 2006, with the 3UZ-FE (4292 cc naturally aspirated petrol) engine and RWD layout.
How much power does the UCF30 have?
As quoted in Japan when new: 3UZ-FE (C): 280 PS (206 kW, 276 bhp) at 5,600 rpm and 43.8 kgm (430 Nm, 317 lb ft) at 3,400 rpm. These are Japanese net figures; the kW, bhp, Nm and lb ft are our conversions.
What should I check when buying a UCF30?
Air suspension struts and compressor on air-sprung cars. Electro Multi Vision screen and sat-nav faults. The 3UZ-FE uses a timing belt: ask when it was last changed. Japanese-market radio and sat-nav need a band expander or replacement in the UK. Check the car sits level after standing overnight (air suspension). Ask for the timing belt and water pump history. Also check that the Japanese auction mileage lines up with the first UK MOT, because km and miles are easily mixed up.
Is the Toyota Celsior UCF30 ULEZ compliant?
It’s borderline. A UCF30 built 2000–2006 was certified to Japan’s 1978, 2000 or 2005 emissions rules, usually shown as GH-, DBA- or GF- on its Japanese papers, so it is borderline: you may need proof. Our ULEZ checker reads the code on the auction sheet or export certificate, such as GH-UCF30, for a firmer answer. Only TfL decides, so check the registration on its vehicle checker before you buy.