2022 Toyota Prius — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,179 MOT tests, the 2022 Toyota Prius recorded a 95.0% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (6.8% fail rate), the 2022 Prius comes out 1.8pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.5%) and lighting & signalling (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 69 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 3.2% in the 0-30k band and 7.8% in the 150k+ band, a 4.6-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 13.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.1% of tests failed in 2022 against 5.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 113 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 67 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.3% | 42 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.9% | 27 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.4% | 11 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.2% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 69 |
| 2 | Wipers | 41 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 40 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 25 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 22 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 12 |
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 | 13.0% | 414 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.1% | 99 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.3% | 74 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.7% | 55 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 38 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 11 |
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 | 1,023 | 3.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,257 | 4.5% |
| 60-90k | 537 | 6.7% |
| 90-120k | 219 | 9.6% |
| 120-150k | 90 | 10.0% |
| 150k+ | 51 | 7.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 191 | 2.1% |
| 2023 | 465 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 757 | 5.0% |
| 2025 | 1,766 | 5.0% |
What to check before buying a 2022 Prius
On a 2022 Prius, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.3% 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 2022 Toyota Priuss pass their MOT?
95.0% of the 3,179 2022 Toyota Prius MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Toyota Prius?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.1%).
Does the 2022 Prius get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.2% in the 0-30k band to 7.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,179 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.