Toyota RAV4 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Toyota RAV4 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 169,919 MOT tests across 29 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Hybrid, Petrol, Diesel
87%
Toyota RAV4 pass rate
84%
Toyota average
82%
All-model average
The Toyota RAV4 has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 3 points above the Toyota average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 13 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Toyota RAV4 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 19,485 MOT tests on the Toyota RAV4 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
33%Cars and vans the same age: 38% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
33%Cars and vans the same age: 31% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
22%Cars and vans the same age: 24% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
21%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
19%Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (13% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Position lamp: not working (8.4% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (8.4% of failed tests, suspension)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Toyota RAV4 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each RAV4 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
- 1998: 72% passed, against 76% for all 1998 cars (4 points lower, 1,871 tests)
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Toyota RAV4 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hybrid | 2.5L | 96% | 4% | - |
| 2021 | Hybrid | 2.5L | 96% | 4% | 93% (+3) |
| 2020 | Hybrid | 2.5L | 95% | 4% | 92% (+3) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 2.0L | 95% | 4% | 91% (+4) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 2.0L | 91% | 9% | 89% (+2) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 2.0L | 89% | 10% | 87% (+2) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 2.0L | 89% | 11% | 86% (+3) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 1.4L | 88% | 11% | 84% (+4) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 87% | 13% | 82% (+5) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 87% | 13% | 80% (+7) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | 79% (+6) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | - |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 79% | 19% | - |
| 2009 | Petrol | 2.0L | 76% | 23% | 75% (+1) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 74% (+1) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 74% | 26% | 73% (+1) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.0L | 78% | 22% | 73% (+5) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 2.0L | 76% | 24% | 72% (+4) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 72% (+3) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 73% (+2) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.0L | 74% | 26% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 75% (-1) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 2.0L | 72% | 27% | 76% (-4) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 2.0L | 68% | 31% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 2.0L | 70% | 28% | - |
| 1995 | Petrol | 2.0L | 72% | 27% | - |
| 1994 | Petrol | 2.0L | 76% | 24% | - |
Toyota RAV4 Running Costs
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Toyota RAV4 FAQ
What are the most common Toyota RAV4 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Toyota RAV4 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (33% of the 19,485 failed tests), suspension (33%) and brakes (22%). The single most common fault was "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" (13%). Across 169,919 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Toyota RAV4 reliable?
The Toyota RAV4 has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 169,919 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Toyota RAV4 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 1998 (72% of 1,871 tests passed, against 76% for all 1998 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2013 (87% of 7,737 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars), the 2012 (85% of 2,610 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars) and the 2014 (87% of 7,762 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Toyota RAV4 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Toyota RAV4 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Toyota Models
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