Toyota MR2 MOT failures and reliability

In 2023 the Toyota MR2 took 11,049 MOT tests in Britain and passed 67% of them first time, below the national average of 71% for all cars. The figures below come from the DVSA's record of every test, so they show what testers actually found on these cars rather than what owners report.

MOT tests in 2023: 11,049
First-time pass rate: 67%
All cars: 71%

What the MR2 fails on

Share of tests with at least one failure in each area, against the figure for all cars.

Brakes17.3% (all cars 6.8%)
Lights and electrics12.3% (all cars 11.3%)
Exhaust and emissions9.6% (all cars 3.1%)
Suspension8.9% (all cars 9.0%)
Visibility4.7% (all cars 4.8%)
Body and structure3.5% (all cars 3.5%)
Tyres3.4% (all cars 6.4%)
Steering1.5% (all cars 1.8%)

Most common failure items

Share of tests on which each item was recorded.

Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements 9.2%
Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side 4.8%
Position lamp: not working 3.1%
Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits 3.1%
Service brake performance: excessively binding 3.0%
Rbt (sp): efficiency less than 50% of the required value 2.7%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively 2.7%
Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength 2.5%

Most common advisories

Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive 10.1%
Coil spring: corroded 10.0%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened 9.8%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 8.2%
Tyres, condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing 8.0%
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material 5.4%
Service brake performance: binding but not excessively 4.8%
Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil 4.5%

Pass rate by year of registration

Older cars fail more often whatever the model, so compare a car with others of the same age.

First registered	Tests	Pass rate
1998	460	68%
1999	340	67%
2000	1,033	65%
2001	972	62%
2002	1,121	61%
2003	1,311	66%
2004	1,254	67%
2005	901	69%
2006	784	75%

Typical mileage by age

Average odometer reading at the MOT, by the car's age in years at the test.

Age at test	Average mileage
17 years	70,672 miles
18 years	81,219 miles
19 years	85,662 miles
20 years	89,504 miles

Check a particular MR2

Model figures tell you what to look out for. To see one car's own MOT history, mileage and tax, enter its registration.

Other Toyota models

Source: Department for Transport, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023, cars and light vans, normal tests only. Pass rates are first-time passes; a pass after repair at the test station counts as a fail. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.