2018 Toyota Auris — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 75,741 MOT tests, the 2018 Toyota Auris recorded a 91.3% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (10.4% fail rate), the 2018 Auris comes out 1.7pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.2% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, wipers and headlamp — stop lamp alone was recorded 3,196 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.7% versus 5.4%.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 2.8pp more often than petrol ones (8.9% vs 6.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 6,196 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 3,473 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.2% | 2,394 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 1,220 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 837 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 155 |
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 | 3,196 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,323 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 1,918 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,639 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,357 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 976 |
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 | 18.8% | 14,219 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.2% | 7,737 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.3% | 4,044 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.0% | 3,820 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 2,260 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,823 |
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 | 23,720 | 5.4% |
| 30-60k | 25,299 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 11,284 | 10.9% |
| 90-120k | 6,161 | 11.6% |
| 120-150k | 3,912 | 11.4% |
| 150k+ | 5,361 | 12.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 69,144 | 8.9% |
| Petrol | 6,316 | 6.2% |
| Diesel | 262 | 12.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,884 | 6.4% |
| 2022 | 15,082 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 15,158 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 15,148 | 10.0% |
| 2025 | 15,469 | 10.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Auris
On a 2018 Auris, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% 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.
- Visibility (3.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2018 Toyota Auriss pass their MOT?
91.3% of the 75,741 2018 Toyota Auris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Toyota Auris?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2018 Auris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.4% in the 0-30k band to 12.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 75,741 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.