Toyota Picnic
From 713 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, body and cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point. The top issue, 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, caused 53 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.
| 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 | 53 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 49 |
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 27 |
| 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 | 25 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 21 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 21 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 21 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 20 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 19 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 19 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.5% of Picnic failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 7.6% 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 £167.
Toyota Picnic on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 91 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 91. At this rate, roughly 9.1 years until none remain. Now at 9.6% of its peak (8,707 in 2004 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 188 | 646 | +0 | -7 | -7 |
| 2025 Q2 | 198 | 643 | +0 | -15 | -15 |
| 2025 Q1 | 208 | 648 | +0 | -35 | -35 |
| 2024 Q4 | 226 | 665 | +0 | -34 | -34 |
| 2024 Q3 | 242 | 683 | +0 | -22 | -22 |
| 2024 Q2 | 259 | 688 | +0 | -15 | -15 |
| 2024 Q1 | 271 | 691 | +0 | -10 | -10 |
| 2023 Q4 | 286 | 686 | +0 | -16 | -16 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 70.2% | body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1998 | 66.5% | 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 |
| 1997 | 64.9% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a tyre seriously damaged |
Typical mileage
Half of all Picnics tested had between 82,373 and 161,308 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 125,718 median miles, the Picnic has 0.025 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 Picnic MOT pass rate?
The Toyota Picnic has a 68.3% MOT pass rate based on 713 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Toyota Picnic?
The most common MOT failure on the Toyota Picnic is 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, which caused 53 failures. Other common issues include a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
How many Toyota Picnics are on UK roads?
There are 188 Toyota Picnics currently licensed on UK roads, with 646 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Toyota Picnic at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Toyota Picnic is 125,718 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 82,373 and 161,308 miles.
Buying a used Picnic?
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 68.3% pass rate and an average repair bill of £167 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 53.5% 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.