Toyota Regius MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 25 model years and 2,475 tests, the Toyota Regius passes its MOT 79.8% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 21.5% of the time, so this is 1.3pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.8% of all tests — 7.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, headlamp and headlamp aim — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 152 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.3% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (23.8% vs 18.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Regius model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 52 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 50 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1999 | 136 | 77.2% | 22.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 213 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 182 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 57 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 50 | 66.0% | 34.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 37 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 100 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 131 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 96 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 64 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 104 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 101 | 83.2% | 16.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 90 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 54 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 146 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 273 | 83.2% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 322 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 166 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 33 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 342 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.9% | 146 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.6% | 139 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 125 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.3% | 106 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.0% | 75 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 47 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.1% | 28 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 152 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 107 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 107 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 104 |
| 5 | Wipers | 93 |
| 6 | Joints | 84 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 84 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 69 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 29.0% | 718 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.6% | 559 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.2% | 500 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 452 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.6% | 286 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.2% | 203 |
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 | 32 | 15.6% |
| 30-60k | 230 | 15.2% |
| 60-90k | 539 | 14.1% |
| 90-120k | 517 | 17.6% |
| 120-150k | 457 | 22.5% |
| 150k+ | 696 | 27.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,780 | 18.9% |
| Diesel | 688 | 23.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 503 | 18.5% |
| 2022 | 500 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 503 | 20.1% |
| 2024 | 481 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 488 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Regius
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.9% 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.
- Suspension (5.6% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Regius?
79.8% of the 2,475 Toyota Regius MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.2% fail rate, across model years 1997–2021.
What does the Toyota Regius most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, then brakes (5.9%).
How much does mileage affect Regius MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 27.3% for 150k+, a 11.7-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Regius more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 18.9% of the time against 23.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,475 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.