Toyota
Rav 4
54,654 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Rav 4s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 5.6 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
71.9%
Pass-after-fix
5.5%
Fail
22.0%
Avg miles
112,920
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
Generations on file · 5
Toyota Rav 4 · UK market
1994–2000
2000–2006
2006–2012
2012–2018
2018–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
RAV4 (older, RAV-4 slug): below-average record on older petrol variants at 90k miles
This data pool (slug: toyota__rav-4) captures older third and fourth-generation RAV4s at 72.2% first-time pass from 41,873 tests — below the UK fleet average at an average presenting mileage of 92,437. Top failures are suspension pin and bush wear, tyre tread and CV joint boot deterioration. The older 2.0 petrol and 2.2 D-4D diesel RAV4s at this mileage show front MacPherson strut bush wear and CV boot failures consistent with their age and accumulated mileage. The separate toyota__rav4 entry (which covers the current generation) posts a higher 81.2% — the gap reflects the difference between an ageing platform and current production. Pre-test on these older RAV4s: front suspension, CV boots and tyre condition.
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.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
3,033 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
2,522 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,729 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 04
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,393 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 05
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
1,238 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 06
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
1,238 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 07
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
1,112 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 08
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1,054 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
997 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 10
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
992 occurrences · 1.8% 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 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this Rav 4'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 →
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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.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
The third and fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 (2006-2018) offered reliable petrol and diesel power with Toyota's characteristic long-term durability. Good family SUV proportions and a comfortable ride.
Buying or keeping a Rav 4?
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 Rav 4 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.