2018 Toyota Aygo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Toyota Aygo passed 92.4% of its 118,846 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (9.7% fail rate), the 2018 Aygo comes out 2.1pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.0%) and visibility (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 3,180 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.8% versus 5.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.0% | 4,707 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.6% | 4,289 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 3,106 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 3,025 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 731 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 305 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,180 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,848 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,842 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,758 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 1,277 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,076 |
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 | 23.2% | 27,607 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 17,233 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.3% | 6,351 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.7% | 5,551 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 3,250 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.4% | 1,662 |
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 | 76,252 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 36,820 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 4,956 | 13.4% |
| 90-120k | 642 | 15.4% |
| 120-150k | 116 | 21.6% |
| 150k+ | 57 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,700 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 23,624 | 6.4% |
| 2023 | 23,944 | 8.0% |
| 2024 | 23,664 | 9.5% |
| 2025 | 23,914 | 9.3% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Aygo
On a 2018 Aygo, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.0% 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 (3.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 Aygos pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 118,846 2018 Toyota Aygo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Toyota Aygo?
Tyres, recorded in 4.0% of tests, followed by visibility (3.6%).
Does the 2018 Aygo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 118,846 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.