2015 Toyota Prius — MOT failures & pass rate
71,318 MOT tests on the 2015 Toyota Prius are in this dataset, and 91.2% of them passed. Small family cars of a similar age fail 15.8% of the time, so this is 7.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.0% of all tests — 7.2 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are registration plate lamp(s), position lamp and tread depth — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 3,636 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.5% in the 0-30k band and 9.6% in the 150k+ band, a 4.1-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 13.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 7,872 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.8% | 2,742 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.1% | 2,235 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 2,095 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.4% | 1,714 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 343 |
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) | 3,636 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,672 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,051 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,636 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,535 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,341 |
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 | 13.4% | 9,580 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.8% | 7,009 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.9% | 4,905 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 3,026 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.7% | 2,608 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 1,211 |
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 | 1,518 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 8,205 | 7.2% |
| 60-90k | 10,326 | 8.6% |
| 90-120k | 9,887 | 8.7% |
| 120-150k | 10,291 | 8.6% |
| 150k+ | 31,010 | 9.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 70,757 | 8.8% |
| Electric | 253 | 10.7% |
| Other | 242 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 64 | 9.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,611 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 13,860 | 7.6% |
| 2023 | 14,891 | 8.4% |
| 2024 | 15,715 | 9.8% |
| 2025 | 15,241 | 10.2% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Prius
On a 2015 Prius, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
- Suspension (3.1% 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.
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 2015 Toyota Priuss pass their MOT?
91.2% of the 71,318 2015 Toyota Prius MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Toyota Prius?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.0% of tests, followed by tyres (3.8%).
Does the 2015 Prius get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 9.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 71,318 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.