Verdict
The 2015 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol passes its MOT first time on 83.8% of tests, against 80.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. It beats 73% of cars on UK roads.
It starts level: at 3–5 years old it is within about 1 point of a typical car. From 6 years on it pulls ahead, by about 4 points at 8 and about 5 points by 10–11. These cars cover few miles (about 6,300 a year); across all years of the 1.3 petrol, it stays slightly ahead of a typical car up to about 90,000 miles, is level at 100,000 and drops a few points behind beyond 120,000.
2015 is the best year of this engine, beating about three in four cars; 2016 cars beat about seven in ten and 2017 cars about six in ten. 2013 and 2014 cars beat about half, and 2003 and 2006 cars do worst, a little under half. Among 2015 Yaris engines, the 1.5 hybrid beats nearly two in three cars and the 1.0 petrol nearly six in ten; only the less common 1.4 diesel does slightly better than the 1.3. The Yaris as a whole is about average.
Suspension, steering, brakes and emissions fail far less often than on a typical car. The weak spots are small lights and warnings: indicator side repeaters (5.3 times as often as a typical car), the rear fog light (3 times) and the tyre pressure warning (1.5 times), and visibility items such as wipers (1.4 times).
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT.
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Indicator side repeaters
Fail on about 1 in 60 tests, 5.2 times as often as on a typical car. Put the hazard lights on and check the small side repeaters on both sides. - Tyre pressure warning (TPMS)
Fails on about 1 in 80 tests, 1.5 times the typical rate. Make sure no tyre-pressure warning light stays on after start-up. - Rear fog light
Fails on about 1 in 140 tests, 3 times as often as on a typical car. Switch it on and check it from behind the car. - Wipers and washers
Wipers are the most common fail, on about 1 in 30 tests (1.4 times the typical rate). Check the blades clear the screen without smearing and the washers spray properly. - Headlight bulbs and reversing lights
Headlight bulbs fail on about 1 in 70 tests (1.6 times typical) and reversing lights, though rare, about 5 times as often as on a typical car. Check dipped and main beam, and select reverse with someone watching. - Suspension struts and arms
Not yet common as fails, but testers advise on suspension struts about 13 times and suspension arms about 4 times as often as on a typical car (on about 1 in 90 and 1 in 70 tests). Listen for knocks over bumps and check past MOT advisories.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windscreen wipers | 2.9% | 2.1% | 1.4× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.1× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 1.8% | 2.8% | 0.6× |
| Indicator side repeaters | 1.6% | 0.3% | 5.3× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.2× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.6× |
| Headlight aim | 1.3% | 1.8% | 0.7× |
| Tyre pressure warning (TPMS) | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.5× |
| Brake pads | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.7× |
| Rear fog light | 0.7% | 0.2% | 2.9× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 28.9 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 19.0 |
| A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 16.4 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 15.8 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 12.9 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 12.8 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 12.5 |
| A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative | 12.0 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Advisories
Not a fail yet, but likely to need attention soon.
| Item | Share of tests | vs typical |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre tread depth | 15.2% | 1.1× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 8.8% | 0.9× |
| Brake discs | 7.8% | 0.9× |
| Brake pads | 5.6% | 0.8× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 3.3% | 1.2× |
| Suspension arms | 1.4% | 4.2× |
| Shock absorbers | 1.3% | 0.6× |
| Suspension struts | 1.1% | 12.7× |
Best and worst years
Yaris 1.3 Petrol by year, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Other 2015 Yaris engines
Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 83.8% | Beats 73% | B |
| 1.5 Hybrid | 82.2% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 81.3% | Beats 57% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 80.3% | Beats 77% | B |
FAQ
What is the MOT pass rate of a 2015 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol?
83.8% of MOT tests on the 2015 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol were passed first time, from 160,549 tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 80.9%.
Is the 2015 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol reliable?
On MOT results it is above average: it beats 73% of cars on UK roads, and its lead over a typical car grows as it gets older. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
What are the most common MOT failures on the 2015 Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol?
Wipers (about 1 in 34 tests), tyre tread depth, tyre damage and indicator side repeaters, which fail 5.3 times as often as on a typical car.
Which year of Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol is best?
2015: it beats about three in four cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account. 2016 cars beat about seven in ten and 2017 cars about six in ten, and cars from 2003 to 2008 are about average.
Which 2015 Toyota Yaris engine is best?
The 1.3 petrol is among the best. The 1.5 hybrid beats nearly two in three cars and the 1.0 petrol nearly six in ten; the less common 1.4 diesel does slightly better than the 1.3.
Is an older Yaris 1.3 petrol a good buy?
On MOT results it ages well: by 10–11 years old it passes about 5 points more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage. Across all years of this engine, beyond about 120,000 miles it drops a few points behind, so mileage matters more than age.