2013 Toyota Verso — MOT failures & pass rate
19,542 MOT tests on the 2013 Toyota Verso are in this dataset, and 83.6% of them passed. Against MPVs of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), the 2013 Verso comes out 4.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.1% of all tests — 8.0 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, individual direction indicators and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 833 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.3% versus 7.8%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.1pp more often than petrol ones (17.9% vs 14.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 30.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 2,554 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.0% | 982 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 841 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.2% | 822 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 660 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 202 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 833 |
| 2 | Individual direction indicators | 692 |
| 3 | Wipers | 623 |
| 4 | Horn | 549 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 508 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 481 |
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 | 30.6% | 5,985 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.8% | 5,232 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.8% | 2,888 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 2,458 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.6% | 2,064 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.5% | 876 |
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 | 473 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 4,010 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 6,658 | 15.9% |
| 90-120k | 4,345 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,875 | 19.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,179 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,092 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 9,443 | 14.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,960 | 13.9% |
| 2022 | 3,946 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 3,938 | 16.9% |
| 2024 | 3,902 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 3,796 | 18.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Verso
On a 2013 Verso, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.0% 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.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
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 2013 Toyota Versos pass their MOT?
83.6% of the 19,542 2013 Toyota Verso MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Toyota Verso?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests, followed by brakes (5.0%).
Does the 2013 Verso get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,542 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.