Toyota Avensis: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Toyota Avensis fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 63,670 individual Toyota Avensis tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 73.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 26 in every 100 Toyota Avensis presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Toyota Avensis tested had covered 120,657 miles and was built around 2010.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Toyota Avensis sits 3 points below the national average, ranked 1,651 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Toyota Avensis rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Toyota Avensis: £425 at UK salvage auction, from 7 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Toyota Avensis

1. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 1.5% of tests (4.39x the national rate for this defect)
2. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.9% of tests (2.98x the national rate for this defect)
3. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.1% of tests (2.3x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this defect)
5. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.3% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.9% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.4% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect)
8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.8% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)
9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.3% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.7% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)

From 63,616 DVSA-tracked Toyota Avensis tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.34% of these flagged Toyota Avensis defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Toyota Avensis

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Toyota Avensis before it actually fails on it.

1. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 26.3% of tests (5.08x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4% of tests (3.59x the national rate for this advisory)
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 5.3% of tests (3.49x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 3.8% of tests (3.02x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 6.2% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests (2.13x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9.5% of tests (2.02x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 10.4% of tests (1.68x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 16.6% of tests (1.25x the national rate for this advisory)

From 63,616 DVSA-tracked Toyota Avensis tests, 2024.

Toyota Avensis pass rate by model year

From its 1999 to its 2018 model year, the Toyota Avensis's first-time pass rate has risen 21.9 points, from 63.9% to 85.8%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Toyota Avensis year:

• 1998 Toyota Avensis - 68% first-time pass, 275 tests
• 1999 Toyota Avensis - 63.9% first-time pass, 402 tests
• 2000 Toyota Avensis - 68.7% first-time pass, 451 tests
• 2001 Toyota Avensis - 72.1% first-time pass, 656 tests
• 2002 Toyota Avensis - 65.5% first-time pass, 898 tests
• 2003 Toyota Avensis - 69.2% first-time pass, 1,971 tests
• 2004 Toyota Avensis - 70.4% first-time pass, 2,745 tests
• 2005 Toyota Avensis - 68.9% first-time pass, 3,605 tests
• 2006 Toyota Avensis - 66.8% first-time pass, 4,687 tests
• 2007 Toyota Avensis - 68.6% first-time pass, 5,195 tests
• 2008 Toyota Avensis - 69.2% first-time pass, 5,193 tests
• 2009 Toyota Avensis - 71.9% first-time pass, 5,265 tests
• 2010 Toyota Avensis - 73.7% first-time pass, 5,635 tests
• 2011 Toyota Avensis - 76.3% first-time pass, 4,462 tests
• 2012 Toyota Avensis - 77.1% first-time pass, 4,870 tests
• 2013 Toyota Avensis - 78.1% first-time pass, 3,217 tests
• 2014 Toyota Avensis - 79.2% first-time pass, 3,099 tests
• 2015 Toyota Avensis - 82.4% first-time pass, 3,241 tests
• 2016 Toyota Avensis - 85.9% first-time pass, 3,631 tests
• 2017 Toyota Avensis - 86.8% first-time pass, 2,514 tests
• 2018 Toyota Avensis - 85.8% first-time pass, 1,154 tests

Toyota Avensis by fuel type

The Toyota Avensis's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.6 points: diesel passes first time 74.6% of the time (32,889 tests) against 74% for petrol (29,862 tests).

• Diesel Toyota Avensis - 74.6% first-time pass, 32,889 tests
• Petrol Toyota Avensis - 74% first-time pass, 29,862 tests
• LPG Toyota Avensis - 73% first-time pass, 374 tests

Other Toyota models

• Toyota Yaris - 78.6%
• Toyota Aygo - 80.9%
• Toyota Prius - 86%
• Toyota Auris - 80.5%
• Toyota Rav4 - 84.3%
• Toyota C-Hr - 90.6%
• Toyota Corolla - 75.3%
• Toyota Hilux - 73%

Models with a similar pass rate

• SEAT Toledo - 73.9%
• Lexus Rx350 - 73.9%
• Ford Grand C-Max - 73.8%
• Kia Soul - 73.7%
• Volvo Xc70 - 73.7%
• Rover MINI - 73.7%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Toyota Avensis? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/toyota-avensis"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/toyota-avensis.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Toyota Avensis MOT Pass Rate: 73.7% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Toyota Avensis's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/toyota-avensis"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/toyota-avensis.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Toyota Avensis most common MOT failure: A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded (1.5% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate