2016 Toyota Auris — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Toyota Auris passed 89.5% of its 87,897 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 3.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.0% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, wipers and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 3,699 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.8% versus 5.5%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.5pp more often than petrol ones (12.5% vs 9.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 7,009 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 4,080 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.0% | 2,684 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 2,603 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.5% | 2,172 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 369 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 3,699 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,409 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,037 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,762 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,542 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,476 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 20.5% | 18,031 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.3% | 12,557 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.4% | 11,760 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.4% | 4,759 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 3,040 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,318 |
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 | 14,451 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 32,763 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 17,670 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 8,184 | 13.2% |
| 120-150k | 5,061 | 13.1% |
| 150k+ | 9,761 | 14.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 60,011 | 10.7% |
| Petrol | 18,778 | 9.1% |
| Diesel | 8,995 | 12.5% |
| Other | 105 | 9.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,112 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 17,491 | 9.2% |
| 2023 | 17,712 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 17,798 | 11.9% |
| 2025 | 17,784 | 12.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Auris
On a 2016 Auris, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
- Brakes (3.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2016 Toyota Auriss pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 87,897 2016 Toyota Auris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Toyota Auris?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2016 Auris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 14.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 87,897 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.