2001 Toyota Supra — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 299 MOT tests, the 2001 Toyota Supra recorded an 88.0% pass rate. That is 10.5 percentage points better than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 22.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.7%) and emissions & environmental (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 17 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 19.4% versus 12.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 18.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 14.7% in 2021 to 9.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 20 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 12 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.7% | 8 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 7 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.3% | 7 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 7 |
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 | 17 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 13 |
| 3 | Washers | 7 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 6 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 4 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 4 |
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 | 18.4% | 55 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.1% | 54 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 17.7% | 53 |
| 4 | Brakes | 16.1% | 48 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.0% | 39 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 17 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 47 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 75 | 5.3% |
| 90-120k | 65 | 7.7% |
| 120-150k | 61 | 22.9% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 75 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 64 | 12.5% |
| 2023 | 62 | 14.5% |
| 2024 | 54 | 7.4% |
| 2025 | 44 | 9.1% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Supra
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (4.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (2.7% 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
How many 2001 Toyota Supras pass their MOT?
88.0% of the 299 2001 Toyota Supra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Toyota Supra?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.7% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (4.0%).
Does the 2001 Supra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 30-60k band to 19.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 299 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.