Toyota Picnic MOT pass rate & common failures
2,600 MOT tests on the Toyota Picnic (1988–2020) give it a 72.7% pass rate. That is 1.3 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.9% of tests against 10.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and position lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 317 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.9% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 32.0% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 40.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Picnic model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 30 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 525 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 579 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 710 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 484 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 156 | 78.2% | 21.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 388 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.4% | 270 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 10.4% | 270 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.5% | 246 |
| 5 | Brakes | 7.4% | 193 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.6% | 146 |
| 7 | Visibility | 5.0% | 131 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 47 |
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 | 317 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 264 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 167 |
| 4 | Joints | 155 |
| 5 | Wipers | 140 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 114 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 104 |
| 8 | Exhaust system | 100 |
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 | 40.5% | 1,053 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 32.3% | 839 |
| 3 | Tyres | 30.3% | 787 |
| 4 | Brakes | 24.7% | 643 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.1% | 576 |
| 6 | Other defects | 20.0% | 520 |
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 | 59 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 270 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 551 | 22.5% |
| 120-150k | 618 | 27.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,078 | 32.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,282 | 27.4% |
| Diesel | 318 | 26.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 849 | 28.1% |
| 2022 | 635 | 27.1% |
| 2023 | 468 | 26.5% |
| 2024 | 365 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 283 | 27.9% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Picnic
- Lighting & signalling (14.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Emissions & environmental (10.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Picnic?
72.7% of the 2,600 Toyota Picnic MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.3% fail rate, across model years 1988–2020.
What does the Toyota Picnic most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.9% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (10.4%).
How much does mileage affect Picnic MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.9% for cars in the 30-60k band and 32.0% for 150k+, a 20.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,600 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.