2021 Toyota RAV4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 passed 95.1% of its 26,536 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points better than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.1%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.6%) and visibility (2.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 649 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 RAV4 fails 3.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.3% at 120-150k, a spread of only 2.8 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.7% in 2021 to 5.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.6% | 967 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.2% | 592 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 511 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.3% | 70 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.2% | 44 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.1% | 39 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 649 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 583 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 192 |
| 4 | Washers | 115 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 77 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 55 |
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 | 17.4% | 4,631 |
| 2 | Other defects | 5.9% | 1,557 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 824 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 764 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.5% | 139 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 92 |
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 | 13,323 | 3.5% |
| 30-60k | 11,236 | 6.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,580 | 7.0% |
| 90-120k | 315 | 9.5% |
| 120-150k | 63 | 6.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 26,458 | 4.9% |
| Petrol | 74 | 20.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 55 | 12.7% |
| 2022 | 44 | 4.5% |
| 2023 | 562 | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 13,004 | 4.8% |
| 2025 | 12,871 | 5.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 RAV4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.6% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.6% 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 (2.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2021 Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT?
95.1% of the 26,536 2021 Toyota RAV4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Toyota RAV4?
Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by visibility (2.2%).
Does the 2021 RAV4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.5% in the 0-30k band to 6.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 26,536 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.