Toyota Corolla: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Toyota Corolla fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 1.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 75,423 individual Toyota Corolla tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 75.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 25 in every 100 Toyota Corollas 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 Corolla tested had covered 94,743 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Toyota Corolla sits 1.4 points below the national average, ranked 1,609 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 Corolla 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 Corolla: £4,350 at UK salvage auction, from 11 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Toyota Corolla

1. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.1% of tests (2.95x the national rate for this defect)
2. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.9% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
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, 2.3% of tests (2.46x the national rate for this defect)
4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3.5% of tests (1.86x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2% of tests (1.83x the national rate for this defect)
6. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.1% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
7. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.9% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.3% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
9. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.8% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.7% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)

From 75,345 DVSA-tracked Toyota Corolla tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.66% of these flagged Toyota Corolla defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Toyota Corolla

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 Corolla before it actually fails on it.

1. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 7.6% of tests (6.86x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn, 4.3% of tests (6.7x 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, 8.3% of tests (5.45x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.9% of tests (3.97x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 7.4% of tests (3.69x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 9.1% of tests (3.43x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 16.8% of tests (3.24x the national rate for this advisory)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 14.8% of tests (3.13x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 15.7% of tests (2.53x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 8.6% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this advisory)

From 75,345 DVSA-tracked Toyota Corolla tests, 2024.

Toyota Corolla pass rate by model year

From its 1997 to its 2021 model year, the Toyota Corolla's first-time pass rate has risen 24 points, from 69.6% to 93.6%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Toyota Corolla year:

• 1997 Toyota Corolla - 69.6% first-time pass, 474 tests
• 1998 Toyota Corolla - 66.3% first-time pass, 918 tests
• 1999 Toyota Corolla - 68.2% first-time pass, 1,163 tests
• 2000 Toyota Corolla - 69.9% first-time pass, 1,162 tests
• 2001 Toyota Corolla - 71.4% first-time pass, 1,998 tests
• 2002 Toyota Corolla - 68.4% first-time pass, 3,661 tests
• 2003 Toyota Corolla - 66.1% first-time pass, 5,463 tests
• 2004 Toyota Corolla - 66.3% first-time pass, 7,358 tests
• 2005 Toyota Corolla - 70.8% first-time pass, 11,341 tests
• 2006 Toyota Corolla - 72.4% first-time pass, 12,634 tests
• 2007 Toyota Corolla - 73.1% first-time pass, 4,615 tests
• 2008 Toyota Corolla - 74.7% first-time pass, 3,310 tests
• 2009 Toyota Corolla - 74.8% first-time pass, 1,281 tests
• 2019 Toyota Corolla - 92.6% first-time pass, 15,715 tests
• 2020 Toyota Corolla - 94% first-time pass, 1,444 tests
• 2021 Toyota Corolla - 93.6% first-time pass, 636 tests
• 2022 Toyota Corolla - 91.5% first-time pass, 234 tests

Toyota Corolla by fuel type

The Toyota Corolla's two most-tested fuel types split by 21.6 points: petrol passes first time 71.1% of the time (49,672 tests) against 92.7% for hybrid (17,047 tests).

• Petrol Toyota Corolla - 71.1% first-time pass, 49,672 tests
• Hybrid Toyota Corolla - 92.7% first-time pass, 17,047 tests
• Diesel Toyota Corolla - 69.7% first-time pass, 8,092 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 Hilux - 73%
• Toyota Avensis - 73.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Peugeot 508 - 75.5%
• Isuzu D-Max - 75.4%
• Skoda Fabia - 75.3%
• Mercedes-Benz 230 - 75.3%
• Peugeot 208 - 75.2%
• Mitsubishi L200 - 75.2%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• Diesel vs petrol MOT pass rate by manufacturer: petrol wins for 28 of 31 brands
• Best salvage cars for beginners
• 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?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate