Toyota Avensis common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 55,139 initial MOT tests on the Toyota Avensis in Great Britain, and 65.5% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Toyota Avensis at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 55,139
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 65.5%
Failed at firstIncluding 8.2% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 34.5%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 8.8%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 21,882 off the road (SORN): 51,671

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Avensis fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
17.9%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
10.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
9.1%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
6.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
5.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
3.8%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, chassis and structure
3.2%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Steering
1.4%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.9%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Position lampsLamps and electrics6.6%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics4.5%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics3.9%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.8%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.6%
Brake performanceBrakes3.6%
ConditionTyres3.5%
SpringsSuspension3.4%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2018	1,138	81.5%	5.6%
2017	2,419	80.8%	5.2%
2016	3,472	79.3%	6.0%
2015	3,045	76.0%	6.1%
2014	2,894	73.4%	7.0%
2013	2,974	70.8%	8.1%
2012	4,495	68.7%	8.0%
2011	4,111	64.8%	8.5%
2010	5,026	63.9%	8.6%
2009	4,678	62.1%	9.4%
2008	4,461	57.5%	12.0%
2007	4,192	58.0%	11.5%
2006	3,717	57.6%	10.8%
2005	2,868	56.9%	10.8%
2004	2,071	58.1%	9.6%
2003	1,552	56.2%	10.4%
2002	677	60.6%	6.8%
2001	490	60.0%	9.6%
2000	355	60.6%	7.9%

Mileage

Avensis mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
6 years	78,200 miles	517
7 years	80,000 miles	1,913
8 years	85,800 miles	3,006
9 years	96,100 miles	3,476
10 years	113,600 miles	2,838
11 years	116,400 miles	2,866
12 years	117,900 miles	3,640
13 years	117,400 miles	4,327
14 years	120,300 miles	4,670
15 years	122,200 miles	4,721
16 years	121,400 miles	4,481
17 years	124,900 miles	4,404
18 years	124,800 miles	4,081
19 years	121,500 miles	3,161
20 years	116,000 miles	2,408
21 years	111,800 miles	1,866
22 years	108,000 miles	1,066
23 years	106,200 miles	596
24 years	102,400 miles	391
25 years	110,800 miles	360

Checking a particular Avensis?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Toyota Avensis: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Toyota Avensis?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Toyota Avensis was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 17.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (10.5%) and brakes (9.1%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Avensis?

65.5% of 55,139 initial MOT tests on the Toyota Avensis in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 8.2% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Toyota Avensis is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 8.8% of initial tests on the Toyota Avensis found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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