2012 Toyota Iq — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 13,191 MOT tests, the 2012 Toyota Iq recorded an 87.5% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail 21.0% of the time, so this is 8.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.0% of all tests — 3.0 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, position lamp and washers — wipers alone was recorded 559 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.6% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 23.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 1,056 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.0% | 660 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.5% | 590 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.0% | 391 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.6% | 342 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 120 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 559 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 379 |
| 3 | Washers | 294 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 291 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 289 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 264 |
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 | 23.9% | 3,158 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.4% | 2,818 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.5% | 1,380 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.1% | 934 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 854 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.5% | 726 |
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 | 1,910 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 5,808 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 3,770 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,273 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 304 | 20.7% |
| 150k+ | 126 | 20.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,579 | 10.0% |
| 2022 | 2,611 | 11.7% |
| 2023 | 2,639 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 2,701 | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 2,661 | 14.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Iq
On a 2012 Iq, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.0% 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.
- Brakes (4.5% 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 2012 Toyota Iqs pass their MOT?
87.5% of the 13,191 2012 Toyota Iq MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Toyota Iq?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by visibility (5.0%).
Does the 2012 Iq get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.5% in the 0-30k band to 20.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,191 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.