2020 Toyota Yaris — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Toyota Yaris passed 94.2% of its 66,453 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 8.8% of the time, so this is 3.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and tyres (3.0%) 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 2,288 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 4.5% in the 0-30k band and 18.6% in the 120-150k band, a 14.1-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 5.5% of the time against 6.0% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.7% in 2021 to 6.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 2,794 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.0% | 1,977 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 1,748 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 580 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 467 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 86 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,288 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 848 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 754 |
| 4 | Washers | 625 |
| 5 | Side repeaters | 494 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 375 |
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 | 19.0% | 12,644 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.4% | 5,569 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.6% | 3,049 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.1% | 2,034 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 1,682 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 496 |
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 | 48,637 | 4.5% |
| 30-60k | 15,628 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,774 | 14.3% |
| 90-120k | 323 | 14.2% |
| 120-150k | 70 | 18.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 44,261 | 6.0% |
| Petrol | 22,179 | 5.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 79 | 17.7% |
| 2022 | 942 | 3.0% |
| 2023 | 21,974 | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 21,487 | 6.0% |
| 2025 | 21,971 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Yaris
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.2% 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.
- Tyres (3.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Toyota Yariss pass their MOT?
94.2% of the 66,453 2020 Toyota Yaris MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Toyota Yaris?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (3.0%).
Does the 2020 Yaris get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.5% in the 0-30k band to 18.6% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 66,453 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.