Used car guide

2012 Toyota Vitz: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Toyota Vitzs, from 498 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 498 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

498MOT tests in 2025
75%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
3,800typical miles a year
11.3×the usual rate for rear fog light

What stands out

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

  • Rear fog light11.3× usual
    Toyota Vitz
    9% All 2012 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.6%, against 0.7% 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.

  • Link ball joint covers3.4× usual
    Toyota Vitz
    8.6% All 2012 cars
    2.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.4%, against 1.4% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Wipers2.3× usual
    Toyota Vitz
    6.8% All 2012 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 1.9% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Better than most

Tread depth: 8.8% here, against 22.3% of all 2012 cars. Brake pads: 4% here, against 9.6% of all 2012 cars.

By area

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

  • Lights and electrics
    23% 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
    20% 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
    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.

  • Brakes
    9% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Toyota Vitz?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018146Tyres 14%
2017100Tyres 13%
2014250Lights and electrics 8%
2013452Tyres 19%
2011319Lights and electrics 25%

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