1992 Toyota Mr2 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,820 MOT tests, the 1992 Toyota Mr2 recorded a 71.6% pass rate. That is 9.3 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 19.1%. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (13.6%) and brakes (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and rbt (sp) — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 341 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 33.5% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.9% in 2021 to 26.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 13.6% | 247 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.3% | 223 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 196 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.8% | 179 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 119 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.0% | 90 |
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 | 341 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 141 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 121 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 119 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 87 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 66 |
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 | 29.4% | 535 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 26.0% | 473 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.7% | 450 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.1% | 312 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.6% | 283 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.4% | 171 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 144 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 323 | 24.5% |
| 90-120k | 584 | 31.0% |
| 120-150k | 480 | 30.0% |
| 150k+ | 269 | 33.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 376 | 30.9% |
| 2022 | 363 | 27.0% |
| 2023 | 356 | 30.6% |
| 2024 | 358 | 26.8% |
| 2025 | 367 | 26.7% |
What to check before buying a 1992 Mr2
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 13.6% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (13.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (12.3% 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 (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1992 Toyota Mr2s pass their MOT?
71.6% of the 1,820 1992 Toyota Mr2 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1992 Toyota Mr2?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 13.6% of tests, followed by brakes (12.3%).
Does the 1992 Mr2 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.6% in the 30-60k band to 33.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,820 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.