2007 Toyota Starlet — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 258 MOT tests, the 2007 Toyota Starlet recorded a 79.8% pass rate. That is 6.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.5%) and emissions & environmental (12.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and rbt (sp) — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 57 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 26.9% of 90-120k cars fail, rising to 16.7% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 24.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 40 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 12.8% | 33 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.1% | 26 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.4% | 19 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.7% | 12 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.5% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 57 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 18 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 17 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 17 |
| 5 | Wheel bearings | 16 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 15 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 24.4% | 63 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.1% | 57 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 17.4% | 45 |
| 4 | Tyres | 16.7% | 43 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.3% | 42 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 34 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 90-120k | 78 | 26.9% |
| 120-150k | 48 | 20.8% |
| 150k+ | 102 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 74 | 20.3% |
| 2022 | 59 | 23.7% |
| 2023 | 55 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 37 | 10.8% |
| 2025 | 33 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Starlet
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (12.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (10.1% 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 2007 Toyota Starlets pass their MOT?
79.8% of the 258 2007 Toyota Starlet MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Toyota Starlet?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.5% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (12.8%).
Does the 2007 Starlet get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.9% in the 90-120k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 258 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.