Toyota Hi=Ace MOT pass rate & common failures
The Toyota Hi=Ace appears in 51,875 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2019, and 78.0% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (26.0% fail rate), the Hi=Ace comes out 4.0pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Hi=Ace years
Ranked across Hi=Ace 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
Not every year is equal — 82.5% of 2011 examples pass against 72.2% of 2000 ones.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.7% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, position lamp and wipers — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 4,019 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.2% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 21.5% of the time against 22.0% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 38.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Hi=Ace model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 66 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 128 | 68.8% | 31.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 107 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 766 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 1,227 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 2,211 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 2,303 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 1,825 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 2,091 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 1,491 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 2,112 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 2,271 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 2,461 | 76.5% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 3,360 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 9,027 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 7,895 | 80.1% | 19.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 4,532 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 4,130 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 2,447 | 82.5% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 426 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 160 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 157 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 171 | 78.4% | 21.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 257 | 79.8% | 20.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 115 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 7,118 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.3% | 5,358 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.7% | 3,992 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.1% | 3,178 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 2,635 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 1,879 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.5% | 1,801 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.6% | 815 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 4,019 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 3,069 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,650 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 2,166 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,029 |
| 6 | Linkage pins and bushes | 1,757 |
| 7 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 1,731 |
| 8 | Headlamp aim | 1,665 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 38.2% | 19,819 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.6% | 14,823 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.4% | 11,089 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 7,421 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.7% | 6,590 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.2% | 6,328 |
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 | 398 | 14.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,300 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 6,209 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 9,704 | 20.0% |
| 120-150k | 10,642 | 22.8% |
| 150k+ | 22,570 | 25.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 49,814 | 22.0% |
| Petrol | 2,048 | 21.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,128 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 11,399 | 21.9% |
| 2023 | 10,457 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 9,428 | 22.1% |
| 2025 | 8,463 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Hi=Ace
- Lighting & signalling (13.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.3% 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.
- Brakes (7.7% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Hi=Ace?
78.0% of the 51,875 Toyota Hi=Ace MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.0% fail rate, across model years 1980–2019.
What does the Toyota Hi=Ace most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.7% of tests, then suspension (10.3%).
Which Hi=Ace years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 82.5% and 2000 the weakest at 72.2%, from 2,447 and 1,825 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Hi=Ace MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.2% for 150k+, a 10.9-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Hi=Ace more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 21.5% of the time against 22.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 51,875 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.