2005 Toyota Prius — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Toyota Prius passed 79.2% of its 15,217 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (27.9% fail rate), the 2005 Prius comes out 7.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.8% of tests against 9.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 1,381 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.6% versus 14.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — other fails 19.5% of the time against 20.9% for hybrid.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.8% | 2,561 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.4% | 1,429 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.6% | 848 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.9% | 752 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.7% | 715 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 683 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 1,381 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 1,102 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 909 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 644 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 592 |
| 6 | Wipers | 534 |
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 | 34.4% | 5,232 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.3% | 4,757 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 24.0% | 3,648 |
| 4 | Tyres | 23.9% | 3,641 |
| 5 | Other defects | 18.2% | 2,764 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.6% | 2,368 |
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 | 50 | 14.0% |
| 30-60k | 439 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,448 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 2,689 | 19.4% |
| 120-150k | 3,339 | 20.4% |
| 150k+ | 7,228 | 22.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 12,793 | 20.9% |
| Electric | 1,210 | 20.6% |
| Other | 662 | 19.5% |
| Petrol | 546 | 20.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,413 | 20.8% |
| 2022 | 3,309 | 20.9% |
| 2023 | 3,144 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 2,834 | 20.2% |
| 2025 | 2,517 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Prius
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.4% 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 (5.6% 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 2005 Toyota Priuss pass their MOT?
79.2% of the 15,217 2005 Toyota Prius MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Toyota Prius?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.8% of tests, followed by suspension (9.4%).
Does the 2005 Prius get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.0% in the 0-30k band to 22.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,217 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.