2012 Toyota Aygo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 90,247 MOT tests, the 2012 Toyota Aygo recorded an 81.2% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail 21.0% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.8% of all tests — 7.0 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,337 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.2% versus 11.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 30.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 12,435 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.8% | 6,152 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 4,242 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 3,816 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 3,366 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.8% | 2,537 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,337 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,049 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 2,796 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,654 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,289 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 2,261 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 30.0% | 27,047 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.6% | 24,004 |
| 3 | Suspension | 24.3% | 21,881 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.7% | 7,882 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 6,293 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.7% | 6,002 |
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 | 7,804 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 35,682 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 32,532 | 20.8% |
| 90-120k | 11,170 | 24.7% |
| 120-150k | 2,441 | 28.5% |
| 150k+ | 611 | 27.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,687 | 15.5% |
| 2022 | 17,830 | 16.4% |
| 2023 | 18,199 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 18,429 | 21.2% |
| 2025 | 18,102 | 22.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Aygo
On a 2012 Aygo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.8% 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.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 2012 Toyota Aygos pass their MOT?
81.2% of the 90,247 2012 Toyota Aygo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Toyota Aygo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, followed by brakes (6.8%).
Does the 2012 Aygo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.3% in the 0-30k band to 27.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 90,247 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.