Toyota
12,742 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Gt86s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.5%
Pass-after-fix
3.9%
Fail
10.0%
Avg miles
58,594
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 12,736 tests
Pass rate climbs 6.6 points across the cohorts — newer Gt86 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
84.7%
Fail
10.7%
PRS
4.0%
Avg mileage at test
62,665 mi
Pass
91.3%
Fail
5.2%
PRS
3.3%
Avg mileage at test
28,360 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 7,444 MOT tests, the Gt86 returns 86.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A torn suspension dust cover and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 52,843, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. 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 →
28–36
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A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
411 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
338 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
257 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
240 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Wiper blade defective
150 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
117 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
86 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
84 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
71 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
70 occurrences · 0.5% 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 4 failures
£168–£415
If every one of this Gt86'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 6.6-point gap between bands means the year you buy Toyota Gt86 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
91.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 91.3% — a 6.6-point improvement. Tests in this band average 28,360 miles — roughly 34K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: blade defective, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
84.7%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 84.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 62,665 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (91.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (84.7% pass). That's a 6.6-point spread across 11,234 older tests and 1,502 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
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Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Super White No. 2 12.5ml
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Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Lucerne Silver Metallic 12.5ml
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Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Toyota Tyrol Silver Metallic 12.5ml
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Recall history
The Gt86 has 2 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
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 Gt86 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.
