2020 Toyota Prius — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Toyota Prius passed 92.2% of its 35,794 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 8.4%, so the 2020 Prius sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.9%) and tyres (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, registration plate lamp(s) and rear fog lamp — wipers alone was recorded 882 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.8% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 14.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 2,123 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.5% | 1,254 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.7% | 973 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 525 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 447 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 91 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 882 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 806 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 722 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 599 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 511 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 339 |
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 | 14.7% | 5,253 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.6% | 2,731 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.8% | 1,359 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 957 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 856 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.0% | 717 |
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 | 9,390 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 11,702 | 6.6% |
| 60-90k | 7,164 | 9.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,741 | 11.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,981 | 11.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,809 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 35,710 | 7.8% |
| Petrol | 59 | 6.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,003 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 3,904 | 9.2% |
| 2023 | 8,980 | 8.9% |
| 2024 | 8,927 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 10,980 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Prius
On a 2020 Prius, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.5% 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.
- Visibility (2.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2020 Toyota Priuss pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 35,794 2020 Toyota Prius MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Toyota Prius?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by tyres (3.5%).
Does the 2020 Prius get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 13.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,794 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.