2021 Toyota Proace City — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Toyota Proace City passed 83.9% of its 2,997 recorded MOT tests. That is 7.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.9%) and visibility (9.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 256 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.8% versus 9.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 328 |
| 2 | Visibility | 9.2% | 277 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 164 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 153 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 36 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 35 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 256 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 176 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 152 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 144 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 80 |
| 6 | Washers | 80 |
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 | 21.6% | 648 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.8% | 624 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.3% | 250 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 163 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.0% | 121 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 71 |
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 | 545 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,637 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 699 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 101 | 14.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 32 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 1,528 | 16.4% |
| 2025 | 1,437 | 15.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Proace City
On a 2021 Proace City, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (9.2% 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.
- Brakes (5.5% 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 2021 Toyota Proace Citys pass their MOT?
83.9% of the 2,997 2021 Toyota Proace City MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Toyota Proace City?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by visibility (9.2%).
Does the 2021 Proace City get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.2% in the 0-30k band to 14.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,997 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.