2019 Toyota Yaris — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 121,719 MOT tests, the 2019 Toyota Yaris recorded a 93.6% pass rate. Against superminis of a similar age (10.0% fail rate), the 2019 Yaris comes out 3.6pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.4%) and lighting & signalling (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 4,125 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.8% once past 150k — 4.4× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 6.3% of the time against 6.6% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.4% | 5,367 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 3,769 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.7% | 3,314 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.5% | 1,782 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.0% | 1,232 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 168 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 4,125 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,795 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,391 |
| 4 | Wheel bearings | 1,368 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,294 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 988 |
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 | 22.2% | 26,983 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.7% | 9,328 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.1% | 6,228 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.7% | 5,671 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 3,123 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 1,114 |
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 | 81,997 | 4.3% |
| 30-60k | 34,280 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 4,522 | 14.0% |
| 90-120k | 656 | 14.5% |
| 120-150k | 165 | 15.2% |
| 150k+ | 96 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 63,338 | 6.3% |
| Hybrid | 58,376 | 6.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,797 | 3.4% |
| 2022 | 30,306 | 4.1% |
| 2023 | 29,727 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 29,451 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 30,438 | 8.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Yaris
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.7% 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 2019 Toyota Yariss pass their MOT?
93.6% of the 121,719 2019 Toyota Yaris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Toyota Yaris?
Visibility, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.1%).
Does the 2019 Yaris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.3% in the 0-30k band to 18.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 121,719 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.