HowreliableUsed car reliability from every MOT
CarsToyota Corolla
MOT results · tests in 2025 · Great Britain

Toyota Corolla reliability: what the MOT shows

102,848 Corollas had an MOT in 2025. 81.4% passed first time, against 77.2% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 4.2 points better than comparable cars. Those registered from 2019 onwards pass more often than other cars their age.

81.4%passed first time
+4.2points against cars of the same age and mileage
102,848MOTs in 2025
Report card

Toyota Corolla MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often Corollas of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse
YearPassed first timeAgainst same age and mileageMOTsSuspensionSteeringBrakesTyresLights & electricsVisibilityBody & structureEmissions & leaks
200559.3%+2.09,422
200660.0%+3.110,820
200760.5%+4.13,767
200859.5%+4.22,836
200959.6%+3.61,132
201988.5%+6.716,473
202089.6%+5.118,992
202189.6%+3.719,970
202290.3%+3.319,175

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

Toyota Corolla years to avoid, going by the MOT

Ahead2005 to 2009+2.0 to +4.2 ptsMost common failures: headlamp aim (projected beam image is obviously incorrect) in 2005 and 2006; position lamp (not working) in 2007, 2008 and 2009. 27,977 MOTs.
Ahead2019 to 2022+3.3 to +6.7 ptsMost common failure in every one of these years: wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively). 74,610 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

Toyota Corolla common faults at the MOT

4.8% of Corolla MOTs failed on visibility, against 4.2% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 8.4% on lights and electrics, against 8.8%.

Most common failures

Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.1%
Position lamp: not working1.9%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.8%
Stop lamp: not working1.6%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.4%
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect1.5%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.3%
Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.4%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.6%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.3%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.9%
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.9%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.5%
CorollaSame age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Registration plate lamp(s): does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps1.8×0.23% of Corolla MOTs (239) against 0.13% for cars of the same age and mileage
Lever: has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment1.7×0.22% of Corolla MOTs (226) against 0.13% for cars of the same age and mileage
Headlamp: has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced1.7×0.44% of Corolla MOTs (448) against 0.26% for cars of the same age and mileage
Headlamp: lens seriously defective1.5×0.41% of Corolla MOTs (418) against 0.26% for cars of the same age and mileage
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.4×3.06% of Corolla MOTs (3,142) against 2.13% for cars of the same age and mileage
Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative1.3×0.34% of Corolla MOTs (345) against 0.25% for cars of the same age and mileage
Mileage

Pulls ahead after 30,000 miles

Up to 30,000 miles, Corollas pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 30–60,000 miles 4.4 points, 60–90,000 miles 6.9 points, 90–120,000 miles 7.0 points, 120,000+ miles 2.2 points.

First-time MOT pass rate by mileage: Toyota Corolla against cars of the same age and mileage0%25%50%75%100%9290UNDER 30K+1.6 pts888430–60K+4.4 pts807360–90K+6.9 pts716490–120K+7.0 pts6562120K++2.2 pts
Corolla, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Petrol, diesel or hybrid Corolla

Diesels passed 58.5% first time, 3.4 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 61.5%, 2.9 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 135,602 miles at the test, against 98,901 for petrols.

FuelMOTsPassed first timeSame age and mileageGap (pts)Median miles
Other55,01189.8%85.9%+3.937,076
Petrol23,75361.5%58.6%+2.998,901
Hybrid18,59788.7%82.0%+6.756,788
Diesel5,48258.5%55.1%+3.4135,602
Against rivals

Corolla against other family hatchbacks

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The Corolla ranks 4 of 15.

ModelMOTsPassed first timeSame age and mileageGap (pts)
1. VW Golf453,67584.7%77.2%+7.5
2. Audi A3236,48583.4%76.3%+7.1
3. Skoda Octavia130,34981.5%75.7%+5.8
4. Toyota Corolla55,58089.2%84.2%+5.1
5. Toyota Auris78,82278.5%73.7%+4.8
6. Honda Civic96,39382.2%77.5%+4.8
7. BMW 1 Series216,35981.6%77.1%+4.5
8. Seat Leon133,33279.6%77.2%+2.3
9. Mercedes A-Class285,89780.7%79.2%+1.6
10. Ford Focus433,95477.1%76.9%+0.2
11. Kia Ceed68,63375.8%76.8%−1.0
12. Vauxhall Astra259,77073.6%75.2%−1.6
13. Hyundai i3054,10873.1%75.3%−2.2
14. Nissan Leaf42,10878.9%81.7%−2.7
15. Peugeot 30869,56371.2%75.2%−4.0

Check these before you buy a used Corolla

What testers most often noted as advisories on Corollas in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Questions about Corolla reliability

Is the Toyota Corolla reliable?

At the MOT, 81.4% of 102,848 Corolla MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 77.2% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2005 to 2009: ahead (+2.0 to +4.2 points). 2019 to 2022: ahead (+3.3 to +6.7 points).

Which Toyota Corolla years should I avoid?

None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Corolla?

Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively: 3.1% of Corolla MOTs, against 2.1% for cars of the same age and mileage.

Is a diesel or petrol Corolla more reliable?

Petrol Corollas passed 61.5% first time and diesels 58.5%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 2.9 points above and diesels 3.4 points above.

Is the Corolla more reliable than the VW Golf?

For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the VW Golf passed 84.7% first time, +7.5 points against comparable cars. The Corolla passed 89.2%, +5.1 points.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the Corolla's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a Toyota Corolla: 29 recorded model names, from "COROLLA" to trims such as "COROLLA ICON TECH HEV CVT".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.