1997 Toyota Starlet — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

63.5%

Latest Pass Rate

55,863

Total Tests (All Years)

90,249 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Toyota Starlet as it ages.

12 yrs64.1%

→ ↓0.9%

13 yrs63.2%

→ ↓3.0%

14 yrs60.2%

→ ↓1.7%

15 yrs58.5%

→ ↓0.0%

16 yrs58.5%

→ ↓0.7%

17 yrs57.8%

→ ↑1.1%

18 yrs58.9%

→ ↑1.8%

19 yrs60.7%

→ ↓2.6%

20 yrs58.1%

→ ↑2.9%

21 yrs61.0%

→ ↑1.3%

22 yrs62.3%

→ ↑0.8%

23 yrs63.1%

→ ↓2.1%

24 yrs61.0%

→ ↑3.2%

25 yrs64.2%

→ ↓0.1%

26 yrs64.1%

→ ↓0.6%

27 yrs63.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	64.1%	7,719
13 yrs	63.2%	6,957
14 yrs	60.2%	6,597
15 yrs	58.5%	5,884
16 yrs	58.5%	5,204
17 yrs	57.8%	4,538
18 yrs	58.9%	3,900
19 yrs	60.7%	3,291
20 yrs	58.1%	2,728
21 yrs	61.0%	1,539
22 yrs	62.3%	1,414
23 yrs	63.1%	1,216
24 yrs	61.0%	1,186
25 yrs	64.2%	885
26 yrs	64.1%	905
27 yrs	63.5%	1,900

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Toyota Starlet pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	63.5%	1,900
2023 (26 yrs)	64.1%	905
2022 (25 yrs)	64.2%	885
2021 (24 yrs)	61%	1,186
2020 (23 yrs)	63.1%	1,216
2019 (22 yrs)	62.3%	1,414
2018 (21 yrs)	61%	1,539
2017 (20 yrs)	58.1%	2,728
2016 (19 yrs)	60.7%	3,291
2015 (18 yrs)	58.9%	3,900
2014 (17 yrs)	57.8%	4,538
2013 (16 yrs)	58.5%	5,204
2012 (15 yrs)	58.5%	5,884
2011 (14 yrs)	60.2%	6,597
2010 (13 yrs)	63.2%	6,957
2009 (12 yrs)	64.1%	7,719

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 7,719Avg Mileage 71,588Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.0%

2010High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 6,957Avg Mileage 76,161Top Failure Suspension — 17.5%

2011High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 6,597Avg Mileage 78,935Top Failure Suspension — 20.7%

2012High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 5,884Avg Mileage 81,254Top Failure Suspension — 22.3%

2013High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 5,204Avg Mileage 83,530Top Failure Suspension — 48.5%

2014High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 4,538Avg Mileage 85,085Top Failure Suspension — 51.3%

2015High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 3,900Avg Mileage 87,441Top Failure Suspension — 50.5%

2016High Fail Rate

60.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 3,291Avg Mileage 87,366Top Failure Suspension — 50.0%

2017High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 2,728Avg Mileage 88,599Top Failure Suspension — 57.1%

2018High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,539Avg Mileage 90,126Top Failure Suspension — 49.8%

2019High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,414Avg Mileage 89,845Top Failure Suspension — 48.5%

2020High Fail Rate

63.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,216Avg Mileage 89,964Top Failure Suspension — 45.8%

2021High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,186Avg Mileage 88,527Top Failure Suspension — 59.3%

2022High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 885Avg Mileage 86,835Top Failure Suspension — 56.7%

2023High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 905Avg Mileage 88,727Top Failure Suspension — 63.1%

2024High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,900Avg Mileage 90,249Top Failure Suspension — 49.2%

MOT results for 1997 Toyota Starlet by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	64.1%	7,719	71,588	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.0%
2010	13	63.2%	6,957	76,161	Suspension — 17.5%
2011	14	60.2%	6,597	78,935	Suspension — 20.7%
2012	15	58.5%	5,884	81,254	Suspension — 22.3%
2013	16	58.5%	5,204	83,530	Suspension — 48.5%
2014	17	57.8%	4,538	85,085	Suspension — 51.3%
2015	18	58.9%	3,900	87,441	Suspension — 50.5%
2016	19	60.7%	3,291	87,366	Suspension — 50.0%
2017	20	58.1%	2,728	88,599	Suspension — 57.1%
2018	21	61.0%	1,539	90,126	Suspension — 49.8%
2019	22	62.3%	1,414	89,845	Suspension — 48.5%
2020	23	63.1%	1,216	89,964	Suspension — 45.8%
2021	24	61.0%	1,186	88,527	Suspension — 59.3%
2022	25	64.2%	885	86,835	Suspension — 56.7%
2023	26	64.1%	905	88,727	Suspension — 63.1%
2024	27	63.5%	1,900	90,249	Suspension — 49.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Toyota Starlet, with age trends.

Suspension

44.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

26.6%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

26.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.2%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

22.7%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	15.6% (12 yrs)	49.2% (27 yrs)	+33.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	12.7% (12 yrs)	27.1% (27 yrs)	+14.4%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	13.1% (12 yrs)	23.9% (27 yrs)	+10.8%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Toyota Starlet page →

About This Data

This page shows how Toyota Starlet cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 55,863 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.