2021 Toyota Alphard- — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Toyota Alphard- passed 82.9% of its 2,610 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 6.9% of the time, so this is 10.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.8% of all tests — 4.6 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, linkage ball joint dust cover and headlamp aim — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 135 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 2.3% in the 0-30k band and 31.3% in the 150k+ band, a 28.9-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 3.2pp more often than petrol ones (17.8% vs 14.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 307 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.2% | 188 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.1% | 107 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 95 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.0% | 78 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 135 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 132 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 111 |
| 4 | Wipers | 94 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 75 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 61 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 26.8% | 700 |
| 2 | Tyres | 20.3% | 531 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.1% | 341 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 265 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.0% | 104 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.2% | 84 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 87 | 2.3% |
| 30-60k | 539 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,244 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 564 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 144 | 19.4% |
| 150k+ | 32 | 31.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 2,041 | 17.8% |
| Petrol | 569 | 14.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 595 | 14.0% |
| 2022 | 541 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 560 | 17.0% |
| 2024 | 456 | 20.2% |
| 2025 | 458 | 18.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Alphard-
On a 2021 Alphard-, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (4.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Toyota Alphard-s pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 2,610 2021 Toyota Alphard- MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Toyota Alphard-?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by suspension (7.2%).
Does the 2021 Alphard- get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 2.3% in the 0-30k band to 31.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,610 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.