1987 Toyota Mr2 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 867 MOT tests, the 1987 Toyota Mr2 recorded a 79.2% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (16.4% fail rate), the 1987 Mr2 comes out 4.4pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (11.2%) and lighting & signalling (9.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 94 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.4% versus 3.1%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 20.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.0% in 2021 to 18.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.2% | 97 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 85 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.5% | 82 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 44 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 33 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 25 |
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 | 94 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 57 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 46 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 33 |
| 6 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 32 |
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 | 20.8% | 180 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.1% | 157 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 14.0% | 121 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.1% | 105 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.9% | 77 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.4% | 64 |
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 | 32 | 3.1% |
| 30-60k | 80 | 5.0% |
| 60-90k | 177 | 17.0% |
| 90-120k | 258 | 24.4% |
| 120-150k | 198 | 25.8% |
| 150k+ | 122 | 25.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 183 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 177 | 19.8% |
| 2023 | 186 | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 160 | 21.9% |
| 2025 | 161 | 18.6% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Mr2
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 11.2% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (11.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.5% 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
How many 1987 Toyota Mr2s pass their MOT?
79.2% of the 867 1987 Toyota Mr2 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Toyota Mr2?
Brakes, recorded in 11.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.8%).
Does the 1987 Mr2 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.1% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 867 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.