Used car guide

2012 Toyota Verso: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Toyota Versos, from 2,836 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,836MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
7,600typical miles a year
2.7×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Toyota Versos than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Rigid brake pipes2.7× usual
    Toyota Verso
    15.1% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Sidelights2.4× usual
    Toyota Verso
    11.9% All 2012 cars
    5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 11.6%, against 4.4% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Number plate lights1.8× usual
    Toyota Verso
    13.4% All 2012 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 2.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Headlights2.3× usual
    Toyota Verso
    10.6% All 2012 cars
    4.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 2.9% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Horn14× usual
    Toyota Verso
    5.6% All 2012 cars
    0.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.6%, against 0.4% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

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

Better than most

Ball joint: 1.6% here, against 5.6% of all 2012 cars. Shock absorbers: 3% here, against 6.5% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 Toyota Verso MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    38% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    37% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    34% 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.

  • Tyres
    32% 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
    9% 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 Verso?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018838Tyres 28%
20172,306Tyres 28%
20163,480Tyres 30%
20153,165Tyres 30%
20142,889Brakes 34%
20133,150Brakes 38%
20113,692Suspension 38%
20102,819Suspension 45%
20091,749Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Toyota Versos registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score