2018 Toyota C-HR — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Toyota C-HR passed 91.6% of its 100,887 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.5 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 9.9%. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.4%) and lighting & signalling (5.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 5,819 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.7% versus 5.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 8.3% of the time against 8.6% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.4% | 5,483 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 5,054 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.8% | 3,806 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.3% | 1,266 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 526 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.2% | 208 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 5,819 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 4,343 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,059 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,307 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,070 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,027 |
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 | 22.2% | 22,421 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.1% | 10,230 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 6,310 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.3% | 3,320 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.8% | 2,803 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 1,590 |
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 | 34,529 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 47,204 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 14,593 | 12.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,195 | 11.5% |
| 120-150k | 861 | 10.7% |
| 150k+ | 503 | 11.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 84,539 | 8.3% |
| Petrol | 16,329 | 8.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,772 | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 20,054 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 20,348 | 9.3% |
| 2024 | 20,354 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 20,359 | 10.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 C-HR
On a 2018 C-HR, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (5.4% 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 (5.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 2018 Toyota C-HRs pass their MOT?
91.6% of the 100,887 2018 Toyota C-HR MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Toyota C-HR?
Visibility, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.0%).
Does the 2018 C-HR get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 11.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 100,887 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.