2012 Toyota IQ: common problems and MOT failures
What MOT testers find on the Toyota IQ first registered in 2012: we looked at the 2,318 MOTs these cars had during 2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
What goes wrong more than usual on a 2012 Toyota IQ?
Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2012 Toyota IQ than on all cars registered in 2012.
- Flexible brake hoses2.7× usualToyota IQ4.1% All 2012 cars1.5%
Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.
Rough price £50–£200 our estimateAt the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.
Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.8% here, against 10.1% of all 2012 cars. Shock absorbers: 3% here, against 6.5% of all 2012 cars.
Common 2012 Toyota IQ MOT failures and advisories
The share of 2012 Toyota IQ MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Brakes28% 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.
- Tyres25% 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.
- Suspension19% 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 electrics19% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors10% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Exhaust and emissions9% of testsRough price £100–£1,200
At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2012 Toyota IQ
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the flexible brake hoses? (Flagged at MOT 2.7× as often on the 2012 Toyota IQ as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Toyota IQ?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Other years
Every year of the Toyota IQ compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | – | Too few tests |
| 2014 | 838 | Brakes 25% |
| 2013 | 1,281 | Brakes 26% |
| 2011 | 2,472 | Brakes 30% |
| 2010 | 3,665 | Brakes 32% |
| 2009 | 6,027 | Brakes 33% |
| 2008 | – | Too few tests |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, counting the MOTs of Toyota IQ cars first registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score