2020 Toyota Camry — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Toyota Camry passed 95.5% of its 1,256 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.1 percentage points better than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 10.7%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.9%) and visibility (1.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 24 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Camry fails 3.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 3.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.5 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 14.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.8% in 2021 to 3.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.9% | 36 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.5% | 19 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 16 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.6% | 8 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.2% | 3 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 24 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 14 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 5 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 5 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 4 |
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 | 14.5% | 182 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.0% | 50 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.5% | 44 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 43 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 6 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 5 |
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 | 519 | 3.7% |
| 30-60k | 408 | 4.2% |
| 60-90k | 201 | 7.0% |
| 90-120k | 78 | 6.4% |
| 120-150k | 32 | 3.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34 | 11.8% |
| 2022 | 48 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 415 | 6.3% |
| 2024 | 384 | 3.4% |
| 2025 | 375 | 3.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Camry
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (2.9% 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 (1.5% 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 (1.3% 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 2020 Toyota Camrys pass their MOT?
95.5% of the 1,256 2020 Toyota Camry MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Toyota Camry?
Tyres, recorded in 2.9% of tests, followed by visibility (1.5%).
Does the 2020 Camry get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.7% in the 0-30k band to 3.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,256 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.