Toyota RAV4 years to avoid — 272,240 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 272,240 MOT test records across 20 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 4.1-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 RAV4 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	110.0	+10.0 pts	83.3%	13,450
2	2012 Strong	109.9	+9.9 pts	81.1%	4,664
3	2014	108.6	+8.6 pts	84.4%	14,105
4	2015	107.7	+7.7 pts	86.4%	16,077
5	2005	107.6	+7.6 pts	72.1%	10,005
6	2019	106.0	+6.0 pts	94.4%	26,751
7	2004	106.0	+6.0 pts	70.4%	9,890
8	2016	105.9	+5.9 pts	87.3%	22,802
9	2022	105.3	+5.3 pts	96.5%	7,008
10	2020	105.0	+5.0 pts	94.9%	35,087
11	2003	104.7	+4.7 pts	69.7%	7,983
12	2021	104.4	+4.4 pts	94.8%	18,568
13	2017	103.9	+3.9 pts	87.9%	23,362
14	2006	103.3	+3.3 pts	67.8%	6,970
15	2002	103.1	+3.1 pts	68.8%	5,746
16	2008	102.9	+2.9 pts	68.1%	10,017
17	2009	102.8	+2.8 pts	69.2%	4,936
18	2001	102.8	+2.8 pts	69.4%	3,016
19	2018	102.5	+2.5 pts	88.8%	21,780
20	2007	102.1	+2.1 pts	67.3%	10,023

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 — 672 cars · 8.6% failed the same item the next year · 15.3% were not tested again
Linkage ball joints ball joint has slight play — 665 cars · 7.7% failed the same item the next year · 16.7% were not tested again
Shock absorbers has light misting of oil — 1,263 cars · 7.1% failed the same item the next year · 17.2% were not tested again
Pins and bushes pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement — 4,290 cars · 7.0% failed the same item the next year · 6.6% were not tested again
Exhaust system has a minor leak of exhaust gases — 1,395 cars · 6.7% failed the same item the next year · 17.2% 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 (4.1 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 RAV4 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 RAV4 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 RAV4 reliable overall?

Across 272,240 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 104.8 (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.