Toyota Aqua MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,272 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 12.4%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Toyota Aqua MOT Reliability Overview
The Toyota Aqua is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,272 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 9 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.6% and a failure rate of 12.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Toyota Aqua earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Toyota Aqua presents for MOT with approximately 55,000 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2019 models achieve the highest pass rate at 98.9%, while 2012 models have the lowest at 79.7%. This 19.2 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Toyota Aqua is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, affecting 9.5% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Suspension at 5.1%. Tyres rounds out the top three at 5.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Toyota Aqua. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (5 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 6 to 12 years, with warranty expiry marked at 5 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Toyota Aqua shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 12 (27.0% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 9.5% | 215 |
| 2 | Suspension | 5.1% | 117 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 116 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 53 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.1% | 26 |
| 6 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.3% | 7 |
| 7 | Road Wheels | 0.2% | 4 |
| 8 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 0.2% | 4 |
| 9 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 0.1% | 3 |
| 10 | Non-component Advisories | 0.1% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 55,000 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 1.72 | 9.5% | 215 |
| Suspension | 0.94 | 5.1% | 117 |
| Tyres | 0.93 | 5.1% | 116 |
| Visibility | 0.42 | 2.3% | 53 |
| Brakes | 0.21 | 1.1% | 26 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.06 | 0.3% | 7 |
| Wheels | 0.03 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Body & Structure | 0.03 | 0.2% | 4 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.02 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.02 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Steering | 0.01 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 0.01 | 0.0% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Toyota Aqua has 55,000 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Toyota Aqua has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 2.25% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Toyota Aqua MOT Data
The Toyota Aqua is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,272 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 9 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.6% and a failure rate of 12.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Toyota Aqua owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Aqua is likely to perform.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 9.5% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 9.5% of MOT failures on the Toyota Aqua. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Suspension — 5.1% of failures
Suspension issues account for 5.1% of MOT failures on the Toyota Aqua. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Tyres — 5.1% of failures
Tyres issues account for 5.1% of MOT failures on the Toyota Aqua. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota Aqua?
Based on 2,272 MOT tests in our database, the Toyota Aqua has an overall pass rate of 87.6% (12.4% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Toyota Aqua?
The top 3 reasons a Toyota Aqua fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (9.5%), 2. Suspension (5.1%), 3. Tyres (5.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Toyota Aqua reliable?
With a 12.4% MOT failure rate, the Aqua is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Toyota Aqua?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (9.5%); Suspension (5.1%); Tyres (5.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.