Toyota Previa MOT pass rate & common failures
The Toyota Previa appears in 34,477 MOT tests spanning model years 1990–2023, and 72.8% of them passed. MPVs of a similar age fail 29.4% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Previa years
Ranked across Previa 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
The strongest year on this record is 2006 (74.9% pass rate); the weakest is 2000 (69.1%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 20.2% of all tests — 9.2 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, headlamp aim and position lamp — headlamp alone was recorded 3,532 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.2% versus 18.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 27.1% of the time against 27.3% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 51.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Previa model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 71 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 136 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 305 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 295 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 547 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 807 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 850 | 72.4% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 755 | 72.5% | 27.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 506 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 1,481 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 3,548 | 70.3% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 3,548 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 4,861 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 5,398 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 4,818 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 3,812 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 294 | 73.5% | 26.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 226 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 183 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 288 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 265 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 284 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 318 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 204 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 289 | 81.7% | 18.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 235 | 77.5% | 22.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 69 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.2% | 6,967 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.0% | 3,800 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.4% | 3,578 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 9.0% | 3,117 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 2,977 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.0% | 2,425 |
| 7 | Tyres | 5.2% | 1,791 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 602 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 3,532 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,771 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 2,380 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 2,258 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 2,192 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,143 |
| 7 | Wipers | 2,096 |
| 8 | Pins and bushes | 1,252 |
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 | 51.4% | 17,726 |
| 2 | Brakes | 37.4% | 12,894 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.0% | 8,975 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 25.2% | 8,677 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 24.9% | 8,597 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.9% | 6,514 |
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 | 161 | 18.6% |
| 30-60k | 870 | 15.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,292 | 21.2% |
| 90-120k | 7,418 | 24.8% |
| 120-150k | 9,822 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 12,838 | 30.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 28,103 | 27.3% |
| Diesel | 6,210 | 27.1% |
| Hybrid | 132 | 13.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,330 | 27.8% |
| 2022 | 7,842 | 26.9% |
| 2023 | 6,663 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | 5,749 | 27.6% |
| 2025 | 4,893 | 26.9% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Previa
- Lighting & signalling (20.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.0% 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 (10.4% 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 Previa?
72.8% of the 34,477 Toyota Previa MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.2% fail rate, across model years 1990–2023.
What does the Toyota Previa most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.2% of tests, then suspension (11.0%).
Which Previa years are best and worst for MOT results?
2006 has the best pass rate at 74.9% and 2000 the weakest at 69.1%, from 3,812 and 1,481 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Previa MOT results?
Fail rates run at 18.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.2% for 150k+, a 11.6-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Previa more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 27.1% of the time against 27.3% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 34,477 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.