Toyota Rav-4 years to avoid — 87,386 MOT tests ranked

Last updated 16 August 2026 · OBDCode UK editorial

No clear negative outlier after correcting for age. Strongest in the data: 2012 or 2013. The ranking uses 87,386 MOT test records across 14 qualifying registration-year cohorts in the 2023–2025 DVSA test extracts and compares each cohort with all UK cars of the same age. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Same-vehicle follow-up for common certificate lines on this model is further down: how often the same item failed the next year, and how often the car was not tested again. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 6.0-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every Rav-4 year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

Rank	Year	Index	Vs same-age	Pass rate	Tests
1	2013 Strong	109.3	+9.3 pts	82.7%	4,196
2	2012 Strong	108.4	+8.4 pts	79.6%	5,271
3	2014	107.9	+7.9 pts	83.8%	3,998
4	2011	107.6	+7.6 pts	76.8%	9,561
5	2010	107.5	+7.5 pts	74.9%	10,346
6	2009	106.2	+6.2 pts	72.6%	4,573
7	2005	106.0	+6.0 pts	70.5%	9,093
8	2004	105.6	+5.6 pts	70.0%	7,304
9	2003	104.7	+4.7 pts	69.8%	5,412
10	2002	104.0	+4.0 pts	69.7%	3,771
11	2001	102.5	+2.5 pts	69.1%	2,304
12	2008	101.8	+1.8 pts	67.0%	4,793
13	2006	100.8	+0.8 pts	65.2%	9,182
14	2007	100.2	+0.2 pts	65.3%	7,582

What happened next on this model

Year rankings are age-adjusted pass rates. The figures below are a same-vehicle follow-up for certificate lines that appear often enough on this model (at least 200 cars). They are not a repair quote and they do not isolate a turbo, DSG, or clutch part.

Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive — 606 cars · 8.4% failed the same item the next year · 17.8% were not tested again
Shock absorbers has light misting of oil — 1,022 cars · 7.0% failed the same item the next year · 18.5% were not tested again
Linkage ball joints ball joint has slight play — 598 cars · 7.0% failed the same item the next year · 21.7% were not tested again
Exhaust system has a minor leak of exhaust gases — 984 cars · 5.7% failed the same item the next year · 20.8% were not tested again
Brake pads wearing thin — 1,869 cars · 5.1% failed the same item the next year · 13.3% were not tested again

National rankings for the not-retested gap: cars not tested again. Repair-hold rates: repairs that did not hold.

How to use this before buying

Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished older example beats a neglected 2012 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (6.0 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which Rav-4 years should I avoid?

No year is a clear negative outlier after correcting for age, so buy on condition and history rather than year.

What is the best Rav-4 year to buy used?

2012 and 2013 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the Rav-4 reliable overall?

Across 87,386 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 105.8 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

What data is required before a years-to-avoid guide is published?

We publish a guide only when a model has at least five registration-year cohorts old enough for a routine first MOT, each based on at least 1,500 Class 4 initial MOT tests pooled across the stated DVSA extract years, and at least 60,000 tests across those cohorts. From the models that pass those gates, this release includes the 220 models with the largest pooled samples. Retests are excluded.

How are the Strong and Inspect labels assigned?

Strong considers only the two highest-ranked registration-year cohorts and labels either one that is within 1.5 index points of the best. Inspect considers only the three lowest-ranked cohorts and labels a year only when its index is no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are MOT test records, not unique vehicles.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Pass rate uses DVSA result codes (P + PRS) ÷ (P + PRS + F): passes and passes after rectification at the test divided by those outcomes plus failures. Class 4 initial-test records only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 records per registration-year cohort. “Strong” considers the top two cohorts within 1.5 index points of the best. “Inspect” considers only the bottom three cohorts, then requires an index no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.