Toyota Yaris: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Toyota Yaris passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 1.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 428,464 individual Toyota Yaris tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 78.6% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Toyota Yaris presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Toyota Yaris tested had covered 66,682 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Toyota Yaris sits 1.9 points above the national average, ranked 1,496 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific Toyota Yaris 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 Yaris: £575 at UK salvage auction, from 52 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Toyota Yaris

1. A wheel bearing excessively rough, 1.4% of tests (4.63x the national rate for this defect)
2. 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, 1.8% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this defect)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.9% of tests (1.74x the national rate for this defect)
4. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 1.5% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
5. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
6. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.9% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.1% of tests
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.3% of tests

From 428,035 DVSA-tracked Toyota Yaris tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.62% of these flagged Toyota Yaris defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Toyota Yaris

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 Yaris before it actually fails on it.

1. 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, 5.1% of tests (3.38x 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, 3.6% of tests (3.24x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.7% of tests (2.2x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 12.5% of tests (2.03x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 8.8% of tests (1.87x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 9.3% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.3% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this advisory)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 20.5% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.5% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 16.1% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this advisory), also fails

From 428,035 DVSA-tracked Toyota Yaris tests, 2024.

Toyota Yaris pass rate by model year

From its 1999 to its 2020 model year, the Toyota Yaris's first-time pass rate has risen 31.5 points, from 61.8% to 93.3%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Toyota Yaris year:

• 1999 Toyota Yaris - 61.8% first-time pass, 1,042 tests
• 2000 Toyota Yaris - 63% first-time pass, 3,475 tests
• 2001 Toyota Yaris - 64.7% first-time pass, 7,037 tests
• 2002 Toyota Yaris - 66.1% first-time pass, 9,010 tests
• 2003 Toyota Yaris - 64.7% first-time pass, 11,526 tests
• 2004 Toyota Yaris - 64.1% first-time pass, 13,608 tests
• 2005 Toyota Yaris - 65.4% first-time pass, 16,581 tests
• 2006 Toyota Yaris - 66.5% first-time pass, 17,307 tests
• 2007 Toyota Yaris - 68.5% first-time pass, 21,061 tests
• 2008 Toyota Yaris - 68.6% first-time pass, 22,526 tests
• 2009 Toyota Yaris - 74.9% first-time pass, 24,691 tests
• 2010 Toyota Yaris - 74% first-time pass, 18,756 tests
• 2011 Toyota Yaris - 78.8% first-time pass, 16,263 tests
• 2012 Toyota Yaris - 79.8% first-time pass, 27,548 tests
• 2013 Toyota Yaris - 80.2% first-time pass, 29,032 tests
• 2014 Toyota Yaris - 82.3% first-time pass, 29,083 tests
• 2015 Toyota Yaris - 86.6% first-time pass, 30,786 tests
• 2016 Toyota Yaris - 88.3% first-time pass, 28,467 tests
• 2017 Toyota Yaris - 87.7% first-time pass, 27,024 tests
• 2018 Toyota Yaris - 89.6% first-time pass, 28,120 tests
• 2019 Toyota Yaris - 92.1% first-time pass, 28,036 tests
• 2020 Toyota Yaris - 93.3% first-time pass, 14,869 tests
• 2021 Toyota Yaris - 94.1% first-time pass, 256 tests

Toyota Yaris by fuel type

The Toyota Yaris's two most-tested fuel types split by 10.4 points: petrol passes first time 77.3% of the time (318,331 tests) against 87.7% for hybrid (85,118 tests).

• Petrol Toyota Yaris - 77.3% first-time pass, 318,331 tests
• Hybrid Toyota Yaris - 87.7% first-time pass, 85,118 tests
• Diesel Toyota Yaris - 70.8% first-time pass, 22,236 tests
• Electric Toyota Yaris - 77.1% first-time pass, 218 tests

Other Toyota models

• 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%
• Toyota Avensis - 73.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Citroen C5 - 78.7%
• BMW 114 - 78.7%
• Lexus Is300 - 78.7%
• BMW 116 - 78.6%
• Smart (Mcc) Forfour - 78.6%
• Ford Tourneo Custom 320 Zetec Eblue - 78.6%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• 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