2018 Toyota Verso — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Toyota Verso passed 90.3% of its 4,665 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 12.2% of the time, so this is 2.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.1%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and position lamp — wipers alone was recorded 192 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.6% in the 0-30k band and 15.9% in the 150k+ band, a 9.3-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.6% of the time against 10.6% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 239 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 213 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.8% | 179 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.3% | 108 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 36 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 192 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 100 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 96 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 75 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 70 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 40 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.3% | 1,178 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 767 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.0% | 371 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 178 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 175 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 133 |
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 | 1,716 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,947 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 655 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 184 | 13.6% |
| 120-150k | 75 | 14.7% |
| 150k+ | 88 | 15.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,987 | 9.6% |
| Diesel | 678 | 10.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 933 | 7.4% |
| 2022 | 931 | 8.3% |
| 2023 | 924 | 9.2% |
| 2024 | 946 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 931 | 11.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Verso
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
- Visibility (3.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2018 Toyota Versos pass their MOT?
90.3% of the 4,665 2018 Toyota Verso MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Toyota Verso?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2018 Verso get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 15.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,665 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.