1995 Toyota Carina — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 515 MOT tests, the 1995 Toyota Carina recorded a 75.3% pass rate. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (24.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (12.0%) and lighting & signalling (10.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, rigid brake pipes and wipers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 91 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 32.0% once past 150k — 3.0× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 33.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.2% in 2021 to 23.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 12.0% | 62 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 53 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.1% | 47 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 43 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.8% | 35 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.4% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 91 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 32 |
| 3 | Wipers | 27 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 25 |
| 5 | Joints | 23 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 23 |
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 | 33.4% | 172 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.9% | 154 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.2% | 145 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.8% | 102 |
| 5 | Other defects | 18.6% | 96 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.7% | 91 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 66 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 91 | 23.1% |
| 90-120k | 123 | 27.6% |
| 120-150k | 126 | 25.4% |
| 150k+ | 103 | 32.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 169 | 27.2% |
| 2022 | 127 | 26.0% |
| 2023 | 89 | 22.5% |
| 2024 | 70 | 20.0% |
| 2025 | 60 | 23.3% |
What to check before buying a 1995 Carina
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 12.0% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (12.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (10.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.1% 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 1995 Toyota Carinas pass their MOT?
75.3% of the 515 1995 Toyota Carina MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Toyota Carina?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 12.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.3%).
Does the 1995 Carina get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 30-60k band to 32.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 515 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.