2015 Toyota Avensis — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 19,375 MOT tests, the 2015 Toyota Avensis recorded an 86.1% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail 16.9% of the time, so this is 3.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.2%) and tyres (5.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, brake pads and tread depth — headlamp alone was recorded 541 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 4.8% in the 0-30k band and 20.4% in the 150k+ band, a 15.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.3pp more often than petrol ones (14.6% vs 9.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 1,393 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 989 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 841 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 575 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.9% | 565 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 327 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 541 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 528 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 489 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 457 |
| 5 | Wipers | 374 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 352 |
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 | 23.7% | 4,586 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.6% | 3,802 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.8% | 2,489 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 1,440 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.5% | 1,249 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 691 |
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 | 694 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 4,085 | 9.1% |
| 60-90k | 5,184 | 12.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,583 | 15.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,008 | 16.6% |
| 150k+ | 3,813 | 20.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 16,823 | 14.6% |
| Petrol | 2,540 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,018 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 4,054 | 13.2% |
| 2023 | 3,958 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 3,772 | 15.1% |
| 2025 | 3,573 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Avensis
On a 2015 Avensis, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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.
- Brakes (4.3% 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 2015 Toyota Avensiss pass their MOT?
86.1% of the 19,375 2015 Toyota Avensis MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Toyota Avensis?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.1%).
Does the 2015 Avensis get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 20.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,375 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.