Toyota Avensis
From 91,047 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Avensiss fare better: 2018 models pass at 85.1% vs 68% for 1998.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, caused 3,109 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 3,109 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 2,101 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 2,070 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 2,020 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,895 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 1,687 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 1,674 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 1,638 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 1,408 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,306 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 35.2% of failures are serious: 26.5% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 8.7% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £82.
Toyota Avensis on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 7,418 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 7 newly registered, a net loss of 7,411. At this rate, roughly 9.3 years until none remain. Now at 33.4% of its peak (205,189 in 2010 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 51,264 | 17,326 | +6 | -1,652 | -1,646 |
| 2025 Q2 | 53,088 | 17,148 | +0 | -1,616 | -1,616 |
| 2025 Q1 | 54,756 | 17,096 | +0 | -2,018 | -2,018 |
| 2024 Q4 | 56,636 | 17,234 | +1 | -2,132 | -2,131 |
| 2024 Q3 | 58,609 | 17,392 | +3 | -2,057 | -2,054 |
| 2024 Q2 | 60,673 | 17,382 | +1 | -1,771 | -1,770 |
| 2024 Q1 | 62,566 | 17,259 | +2 | -1,771 | -1,769 |
| 2023 Q4 | 64,608 | 16,986 | +3 | -1,605 | -1,602 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avensis Tr D-4D | Diesel | 6,869 | 18% |
| Avensis Business Edition D-4D | Diesel | 4,023 | 11% |
| Avensis Tr Valvematic | Gas | 3,874 | 10% |
| Avensis T4 D-4D | Diesel | 2,507 | 7% |
| Avensis T3-X | Gas | 2,503 | 7% |
| Avensis Tr Valvematic Cvt | Petrol | 2,362 | 6% |
| Avensis Icon D-4D | Diesel | 2,344 | 6% |
| Avensis Tr Vvt-I | Petrol | 1,839 | 5% |
| Avensis T3-S | Gas | 1,251 | 3% |
| Avensis Icon Business Ed D-4D | Diesel | 1,147 | 3% |
| Avensis T3-X Semi-Auto | Gas | 1,141 | 3% |
| Avensis Active D-4D | Petrol | 1,108 | 3% |
| Avensis Business Ed + D-4D | Diesel | 1,018 | 3% |
| Avensis T2 D-4D | Diesel | 991 | 3% |
| Avensis Colour Ction Vvti | Gas | 857 | 2% |
| Avensis Tr Vvt-I A | Petrol | 849 | 2% |
| Avensis Tspirit D-4D | Diesel | 710 | 2% |
| Avensis Excel D-4D | Diesel | 679 | 2% |
| Avensis T4 | Gas | 676 | 2% |
| Avensis T2 | Gas | 619 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 85.1% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2017 | 83.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 82.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2015 | 80.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
17 earlier years
| 2014 | 78.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 77.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 75.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 73.7% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2010 | 72.5% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 70.9% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 68.2% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2007 | 67.1% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2006 | 65.8% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension component excessively damaged or corroded |
| 2005 | 66.1% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 66.6% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2003 | 66% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2002 | 65.1% | 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, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2001 | 68.8% | 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 68% | emissions levels exceed default limits, 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 |
| 1999 | 66.2% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 68% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Avensiss tested had between 91,604 and 166,785 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 123,986 median miles, the Avensis has 0.023 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Toyota models
| Toyota Yaris | 76% |
| Toyota Aygo | 78.9% |
| Toyota Prius | 82.4% |
| Toyota Auris | 76.7% |
| Toyota Rav4 | 82.8% |
Common questions
What is the Toyota Avensis MOT pass rate?
The Toyota Avensis has a 72.1% MOT pass rate based on 91,047 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Toyota Avensis?
The most common MOT failure on the Toyota Avensis is a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which caused 3,109 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Toyota Avensiss are on UK roads?
There are 51,264 Toyota Avensiss currently licensed on UK roads, with 17,326 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Toyota Avensis at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Toyota Avensis is 123,986 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 91,604 and 166,785 miles.
Buying a used Avensis?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 72.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £82 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.