Toyota Mr2
From 18,885 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Older Mr2s fare better: 2007 models pass at 74.8% vs 82.2% for 1989.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 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 and parking brake inoperative on one side. The top issue, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, caused 1,029 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 1,029 |
| 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 | 647 |
| parking brake inoperative on one side | 610 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 588 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 495 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 482 |
| lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 440 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 434 |
| parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | 319 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 308 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 29.4% of Mr2 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 28.2% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £158.
Toyota Mr2 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 658 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 11 newly registered, a net loss of 647. At this rate, roughly 30.8 years until none remain. Now at 48.7% of its peak (40,946 in 2007 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 7,964 | 11,968 | +3 | -31 | -28 |
| 2025 Q2 | 8,184 | 11,776 | +4 | -9 | -5 |
| 2025 Q1 | 7,080 | 12,885 | +3 | -186 | -183 |
| 2024 Q4 | 7,070 | 13,078 | +1 | -432 | -431 |
| 2024 Q3 | 8,412 | 12,167 | +3 | -77 | -74 |
| 2024 Q2 | 8,656 | 11,997 | +4 | -0 | +373 |
| 2024 Q1 | 7,765 | 12,515 | +4 | -613 | -609 |
| 2023 Q4 | 7,740 | 13,149 | +3 | -107 | -104 |
7 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr2 Roadster Vvti | Petrol | 4,035 | 51% |
| Mr2 | Petrol | 1,858 | 24% |
| Mr2 Gt | Petrol | 909 | 12% |
| Mr2 Gt 16V | Petrol | 551 | 7% |
| Mr2 Vvt-I Red | Petrol | 282 | 4% |
| Mr2 Roadster Tf300 Vvt-I | Petrol | 157 | 2% |
| Mr2 Roadster Vvti Auto Smt | Petrol | 106 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 74.8% | a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2006 | 75% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
| 2005 | 72.7% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 74.4% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
19 earlier years
| 2003 | 75.2% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
| 2002 | 72.1% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
| 2001 | 72.9% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
| 2000 | 69.5% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake inoperative on one side |
| 1999 | 73.2% | emissions levels exceed default limits, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 1998 | 76% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1997 | 72.4% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1996 | 71.1% | emissions levels exceed default limits, emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1995 | 70.7% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1994 | 72.7% | emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1993 | 71.1% | emissions levels exceed default limits, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
| 1992 | 68.6% | emissions levels exceed default limits, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1991 | 68.1% | 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, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 1990 | 78% | 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 |
| 1989 | 82.2% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 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 |
| 1988 | 80.8% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1987 | 72.9% | 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 strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1986 | 78.7% | 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, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 1985 | 81.2% | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all Mr2s tested had between 80,464 and 123,298 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 94,219 median miles, the Mr2 has 0.028 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 Mr2 MOT pass rate?
The Toyota Mr2 has a 73.7% MOT pass rate based on 18,885 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Toyota Mr2?
The most common MOT failure on the Toyota Mr2 is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which caused 1,029 failures. Other common issues include 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.
How many Toyota Mr2s are on UK roads?
There are 7,964 Toyota Mr2s currently licensed on UK roads, with 11,968 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Toyota Mr2 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Toyota Mr2 is 94,219 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 80,464 and 123,298 miles.
Buying a used Mr2?
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 73.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £158 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 29.4% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.