Toyota
Celica
20,081 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Celicas pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.0 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
68.5%
Pass-after-fix
4.4%
Fail
25.5%
Avg miles
118,257
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Toyota Celica: challenging MOT record across 13,670 tests
The Toyota Celica is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word coelica meaning heavenly or celestial.
MOT data from 13,670 tests puts this car on a 67.8% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 116,805 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective.
The Celica's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 10–28
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
10–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
964 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 02
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
700 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 03
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
654 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 04
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
651 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 05
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
590 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 06
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
504 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 07
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
486 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 08
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
433 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 09
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
426 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 10
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
338 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£28–£195
If every one of this Celica's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Toyota Oil Filter Replacement Tool
£29.69
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Super White No. 2 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Lucerne Silver Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Tyrol Silver Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
3 UK recalls on record.
The Celica has 3 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Celica?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Celica and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.