Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 5,560 tests

Pass rate climbs 3.9 points across the cohorts — newer Vitz examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 4,919

Pass

88.1%

Fail

7.7%

PRS

3.5%

Avg mileage at test

45,810 mi

2018–2020 cohort 541

Pass

90.9%

Fail

3.9%

PRS

3.9%

Avg mileage at test

48,382 mi

2021+ cohort 100

Pass

92.0%

Fail

6.0%

PRS

1.0%

Avg mileage at test

44,942 mi

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

The picture

Vitz: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 1,261 MOT tests, the Vitz returns 85.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. A defective headlamp lens and a missing suspension dust cover round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 52,227, 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

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

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

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

01

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

116 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
02

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

107 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
03

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

83 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
04

Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

77 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
05

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

67 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
06

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

56 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
07

Wiper blade defective

49 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
08

Front or rear fog lamp switch inoperative or not operating in accordance with the requirements

38 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
09

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

35 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
10

Front or rear fog lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

34 occurrences · 0.6% 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

£250–£800

If every one of this Vitz'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 2.8-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Toyota Vitz makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

90.9%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.9% — a 2.8-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: lens slightly defective, ball joint dust cover no longer prevents… — 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

88.1%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 88.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, ball joint dust cover no longer prevents…, and ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated. Average mileage on test for this band is 45,810 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (88.1% pass). That's a 2.8-point spread across 4,919 older tests and 541 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

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.

Get a quote →

Buying or keeping a Vitz?

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 Vitz 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.