2012 Toyota Prius — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Toyota Prius passed 87.4% of its 49,497 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 21.2% of the time, so this is 8.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.3% of tests against 4.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are registration plate lamp(s), position lamp and headlamp — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 2,496 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 Prius fails 9.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.2 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.9% fail against 12.8% for hybrid, a 3.9-point gap across 46,565 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 6,089 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.7% | 2,316 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 2,154 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,873 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.7% | 1,818 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 412 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 2,496 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,173 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 1,389 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,335 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,313 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,152 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 18.2% | 9,013 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.7% | 8,253 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.6% | 6,733 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 4,031 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.8% | 3,884 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.0% | 1,487 |
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 | 607 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 4,087 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 6,861 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 5,757 | 14.2% |
| 120-150k | 5,424 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 26,735 | 12.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 46,058 | 12.8% |
| Electric | 1,621 | 10.5% |
| Other | 1,304 | 10.6% |
| Petrol | 507 | 8.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,813 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 10,584 | 10.6% |
| 2023 | 9,098 | 13.0% |
| 2024 | 9,493 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 9,509 | 15.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Prius
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.7% 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.
- Tyres (4.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2012 Toyota Priuss pass their MOT?
87.4% of the 49,497 2012 Toyota Prius MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Toyota Prius?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.3% of tests, followed by suspension (4.7%).
Does the 2012 Prius get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 12.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 49,497 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.