Toyota Soarer MOT pass rate & common failures
The Toyota Soarer appears in 1,053 MOT tests spanning model years 1986–2020, and 83.8% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (24.8% fail rate), the Soarer comes out 8.6pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.2% of tests against 5.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rear fog lamp and catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 66 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Soarer fails 17.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 15.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.9 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 23.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.5% in 2021 to 15.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Soarer model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 31 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 32 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 93 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 100 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 74 | 78.4% | 21.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 53 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 61 | 73.8% | 26.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 72 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 77 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 89 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 45 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 45 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 47 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.2% | 128 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.7% | 60 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 43 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.3% | 35 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.1% | 33 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 30 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.5% | 26 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 25 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 66 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 56 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 45 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 39 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 36 |
| 6 | Steering rack | 18 |
| 7 | Washers | 17 |
| 8 | Wipers | 16 |
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 | 23.7% | 250 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.5% | 216 |
| 3 | Tyres | 18.4% | 194 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.9% | 178 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 93 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.7% | 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 | 62 | 17.7% |
| 30-60k | 107 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 195 | 13.9% |
| 90-120k | 252 | 19.1% |
| 120-150k | 187 | 17.1% |
| 150k+ | 183 | 15.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 246 | 19.5% |
| 2022 | 218 | 14.7% |
| 2023 | 217 | 14.8% |
| 2024 | 193 | 16.6% |
| 2025 | 179 | 15.1% |
What to check before buying a Toyota Soarer
- Lighting & signalling (12.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.7% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (4.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Soarer?
83.8% of the 1,053 Toyota Soarer MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.2% fail rate, across model years 1986–2020.
What does the Toyota Soarer most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.2% of tests, then brakes (5.7%).
How much does mileage affect Soarer MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 15.8% for 150k+, a 1.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,053 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.