2020 Toyota GR Yaris — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Toyota GR Yaris passed 94.8% of its 577 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (9.4% fail rate), the 2020 GR Yaris comes out 4.2pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.5%) and visibility (1.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, tread depth and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 14 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 5.9% in 2023 to 3.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 20 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.4% | 8 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 8 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.5% | 3 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.5% | 3 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.4% | 2 |
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 | 14 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 3 | Washers | 5 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 4 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 4 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 3 |
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 | 10.9% | 63 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 42 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.6% | 15 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.2% | 7 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 7 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 7 |
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 | 485 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 85 | 7.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 168 | 5.9% |
| 2024 | 210 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 199 | 3.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 GR Yaris
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.5% 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 (1.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 GR Yariss pass their MOT?
94.8% of the 577 2020 Toyota GR Yaris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Toyota GR Yaris?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by visibility (1.4%).
Does the 2020 GR Yaris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 7.1% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 577 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.