Toyota Celica MOT pass rate & common failures
The Toyota Celica appears in 68,683 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2021, and 73.4% of them passed. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 22.0% of the time, so this is 4.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Celica years
Ranked across Celica years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2006 (74.8% pass rate); the weakest is 1998 (71.2%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.8% of all tests — 3.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 6,306 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.2% in the 0-30k band and 30.9% in the 150k+ band, a 16.7-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 32.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Celica model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 34 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Brakes |
| 1984 | 41 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Other defects |
| 1985 | 149 | 92.0% | 8.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 69 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Brakes |
| 1987 | 202 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 123 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 112 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 375 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 410 | 75.8% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 408 | 77.5% | 22.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1993 | 319 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 871 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 994 | 74.5% | 25.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1996 | 1,813 | 72.2% | 27.9% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 2,052 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 3,051 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 2,409 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 3,246 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 6,439 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 7,526 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 9,983 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 10,925 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 9,441 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 6,398 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 538 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 260 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 111 | 84.7% | 15.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 78 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 35 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 38 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 35 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2019 | 50 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.8% | 10,177 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.9% | 7,515 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.2% | 6,976 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 8.9% | 6,089 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 4,546 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.6% | 3,162 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.5% | 3,053 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.6% | 1,110 |
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 | 6,306 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 5,457 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 3,218 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 3,189 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 3,129 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 3,013 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 2,344 |
| 8 | Wipers | 2,276 |
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 | 32.3% | 22,192 |
| 2 | Suspension | 31.7% | 21,751 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.8% | 15,675 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.5% | 12,007 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 9,531 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.9% | 8,852 |
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 | 626 | 14.2% |
| 30-60k | 4,258 | 16.8% |
| 60-90k | 12,571 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 20,248 | 26.5% |
| 120-150k | 17,879 | 29.2% |
| 150k+ | 13,038 | 30.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,532 | 26.8% |
| 2022 | 15,501 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 13,497 | 26.3% |
| 2024 | 11,742 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 10,411 | 26.9% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Celica
- Lighting & signalling (14.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.9% 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.
- Suspension (10.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Celica?
73.4% of the 68,683 Toyota Celica MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.6% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Toyota Celica most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.8% of tests, then brakes (10.9%).
Which Celica years are best and worst for MOT results?
2006 has the best pass rate at 74.8% and 1998 the weakest at 71.2%, from 6,398 and 3,051 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Celica MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.9% for 150k+, a 16.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 68,683 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.