Toyota RAV4 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 132,174 initial MOT tests on the Toyota RAV4 in Great Britain, and 77.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Toyota RAV4 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 132,174
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 77.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 22.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 5.1%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 19,206 off the road (SORN): 142,496

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

Failure areas

Where the RAV4 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
8.0%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
7.8%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
5.2%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
4.1%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
4.1%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
2.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, chassis and structure
2.6%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Seat belts and airbags
1.1%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
0.5%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.3%
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.

Anti-roll barsSuspension3.4%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.6%
WipersVisibility2.5%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.5%
Position lampsLamps and electrics2.5%
ConditionTyres2.3%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.1%
Suspension armsSuspension2.1%

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
2022	10,282	94.4%	1.2%
2021	12,336	91.4%	1.5%
2020	11,637	91.2%	2.2%
2019	8,891	90.6%	2.6%
2018	7,376	83.2%	3.7%
2017	7,835	82.3%	4.3%
2016	7,636	81.6%	4.5%
2015	5,368	81.3%	4.4%
2014	5,941	78.2%	5.4%
2013	5,788	76.0%	6.5%
2012	3,256	71.0%	7.2%
2011	3,545	68.8%	7.4%
2010	3,750	65.8%	10.0%
2009	2,903	61.4%	10.2%
2008	4,459	59.7%	10.5%
2007	5,136	58.6%	9.2%
2006	4,566	58.0%	9.9%
2005	5,586	63.7%	7.3%
2004	5,026	61.4%	7.2%
2003	3,815	61.5%	7.7%
2002	2,688	60.5%	7.9%
2001	1,479	61.4%	7.4%
2000	620	59.4%	5.6%

Mileage

RAV4 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
2 years	26,200 miles	8,008
3 years	32,500 miles	11,842
4 years	39,800 miles	11,180
5 years	46,600 miles	10,217
6 years	50,900 miles	7,158
7 years	59,500 miles	6,916
8 years	67,500 miles	7,987
9 years	76,300 miles	5,717
10 years	84,500 miles	5,846
11 years	93,300 miles	6,158
12 years	95,900 miles	4,018
13 years	99,500 miles	3,500
14 years	105,400 miles	3,665
15 years	110,300 miles	3,053
16 years	115,400 miles	3,445
17 years	118,600 miles	5,140
18 years	120,300 miles	4,875
19 years	116,200 miles	5,202
20 years	113,600 miles	5,103
21 years	115,600 miles	4,418
22 years	117,600 miles	3,274
23 years	119,300 miles	2,102
24 years	117,100 miles	1,007
25 years	114,900 miles	525

Checking a particular RAV4?

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 RAV4: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the Toyota RAV4?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Toyota RAV4 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 8.0% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (7.8%) and brakes (5.2%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota RAV4?

77.6% of 132,174 initial MOT tests on the Toyota RAV4 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.7% 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 RAV4 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. 5.1% of initial tests on the Toyota RAV4 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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