Used car guide

2006 Toyota MR2: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2006 Toyota MR2s, from 718 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

718MOT tests in 2025
69%pass first time (all 2006 cars: 57%)
3,600typical miles a year
3.8×the usual rate for handbrake performance

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2006 Toyota MR2s than on all cars registered in 2006.

  • Handbrake performance3.8× usual
    Toyota MR2
    4.6% All 2006 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 1.2% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.

Better than most

Tread depth: 6.8% here, against 21.4% of all 2006 cars. Engine oil leaks: 3.6% here, against 13.7% of all 2006 cars.

By area

The share of 2006 Toyota MR2 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    35% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    32% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    19% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    18% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Rust and bodywork
    5% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Looking at a Toyota MR2?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2005776Brakes 36%
20041,094Brakes 38%
20031,128Brakes 36%
2002960Brakes 39%
2001803Brakes 37%
2000864Brakes 38%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2006 Toyota MR2s registered in 2006. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score