Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 169,922 tests

Pass rate climbs 15.1 points across the cohorts — newer Rav4 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 106,762

Pass

77.6%

Fail

17.2%

PRS

4.6%

Avg mileage at test

92,484 mi

2018–2020 cohort 44,915

Pass

91.2%

Fail

5.3%

PRS

3.2%

Avg mileage at test

40,872 mi

2021+ cohort 18,245

Pass

92.7%

Fail

4.0%

PRS

3.1%

Avg mileage at test

28,063 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Toyota Rav4: solid MOT record across 104,925 tests

The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Having sold over 15 million units worldwide as of 2025, the RAV4 is the best-selling sport utility vehicle of all time.

MOT data from 104,925 tests puts this car on a 81.2% first-time pass rate, above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 73,434 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective.

Buyers weighing up a used Rav4 should treat the failure breakdown as a pre-purchase checklist. The pass rate is reasonable, but the gap between first attempt and a clean sheet narrows with age and mileage.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 22–35

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 →

22–35

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

3,478 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
02

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

3,418 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
03

Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

2,882 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
04

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

2,455 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
05

Wiper blade defective

2,390 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
06

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

1,959 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
07

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

1,920 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
08

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

1,860 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
09

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

1,843 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
10

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

1,768 occurrences · 1.0% 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

£118–£400

If every one of this Rav4'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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 15.1-point gap between bands means the year you buy Toyota Rav4 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

92.7%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 92.7% — a 15.1-point improvement. Tests in this band average 28,063 miles — roughly 64K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, blade defective — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

77.6%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 77.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.7% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, lens slightly defective, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 92,484 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (92.7% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (77.6% pass). That's a 15.1-point spread across 106,762 older tests and 18,245 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

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

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

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

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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.

Get a quote →

Recall history

32 UK recalls on record.

The Rav4 has 32 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Rav4?

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 Rav4 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.