1,034 tests in 2025
Toyota Highlander reliability and MOT pass rate
92.1% passed first time. The 7.9% fail rate is 14.7 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 4 years old with 32,604 miles.
Pass rate
92.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 7.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
32,604 mi
4 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 981 | 7.2% |
| 6-9 years | 16 | — |
| 10-13 years | 11 | — |
| 14+ years | 13 | — |
What the Highlander fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres34 dangerous45.1%
- Visibility31.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment20.7%
- Suspension11%
- Body, chassis, structure4.9%
- Identification of the vehicle4.9%
- Brakes2 dangerous2.4%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems2.4%
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Highlander in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively25 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords13 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm11 tests
- 4Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak7 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed5 tests
- 6Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure4 tests
- 7Rear fog lamp: missing4 tests
- 8Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements4 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Highlander collects 2.07 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm130 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure58 tests
- 3Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt33 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre25 tests
- 5Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak24 tests
- 6Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened22 tests
- 7Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords20 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm19 tests
Questions
What is the Toyota Highlander MOT pass rate?
92.1% of the 1,034 Toyota Highlander first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 7.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Toyota Highlander usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively", recorded on 25 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, tyres appears in 45.1% of failures, visibility appears in 31.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 20.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 7.2%; at 3-5 years it was 7.2%. The median Toyota Highlander tested in 2025 was 4 years old with 32,604 miles.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Highlander trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 9 safety recalls naming the Toyota Highlander: Toyota Highlander recalls.
Other Toyota models
Checking a particular Highlander?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.