2016 Toyota Yaris — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 156,697 MOT tests, the 2016 Toyota Yaris recorded a 90.6% pass rate. Against superminis of a similar age (15.6% fail rate), the 2016 Yaris comes out 6.2pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.8%) and tyres (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, side repeaters and headlamp — wipers alone was recorded 3,347 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.0% once past 150k — 3.8× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (11.4% vs 9.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 9,041 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.8% | 6,019 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.5% | 5,431 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.2% | 3,501 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 3,206 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 519 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,347 |
| 2 | Side repeaters | 3,009 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 2,878 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,597 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 2,266 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,036 |
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 | 23.3% | 36,579 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.1% | 23,671 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.1% | 14,228 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.4% | 8,398 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 4,298 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 4,165 |
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 | 51,944 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 73,753 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 23,761 | 14.7% |
| 90-120k | 5,280 | 17.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,313 | 16.4% |
| 150k+ | 641 | 20.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 97,143 | 9.1% |
| Hybrid | 54,938 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 4,585 | 11.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,647 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 31,072 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 31,349 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 31,396 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 32,233 | 12.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Yaris
On a 2016 Yaris, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 (3.5% 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 2016 Toyota Yariss pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 156,697 2016 Toyota Yaris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Toyota Yaris?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by tyres (3.8%).
Does the 2016 Yaris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 20.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 156,697 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.