2016 Toyota RAV4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 42,807 MOT tests, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 recorded a 90.0% pass rate. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), the 2016 RAV4 comes out 3.7pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (3.6%) and tyres (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, wipers and brake pads — pins and bushes alone was recorded 2,089 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.5% versus 5.9%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.1% fail against 10.5% for diesel, a 2.4-point gap across 19,047 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 3.6% | 1,527 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.3% | 1,413 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,361 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 1,323 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 919 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 157 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 2,089 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,302 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 826 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 601 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 460 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 352 |
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 | 22.4% | 9,603 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.9% | 7,229 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 4,631 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 3,044 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 1,535 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 612 |
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 | 5,141 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 19,868 | 8.8% |
| 60-90k | 12,844 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,694 | 13.8% |
| 120-150k | 900 | 12.7% |
| 150k+ | 357 | 11.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 23,732 | 10.2% |
| Diesel | 13,945 | 10.5% |
| Petrol | 5,102 | 8.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,430 | 7.2% |
| 2022 | 8,554 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 8,509 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 8,619 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | 8,695 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 RAV4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 3.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (3.6% 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 (3.3% 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.
- Visibility (3.2% 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.
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 2016 Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT?
90.0% of the 42,807 2016 Toyota RAV4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Toyota RAV4?
Suspension, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by tyres (3.3%).
Does the 2016 RAV4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.9% in the 0-30k band to 11.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 42,807 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.