The picture
Previa: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 6,747 MOT tests, the Previa returns 64.6% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a defective headlamp lens. A number-plate lamp out and the strength or continuity of the load bearing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 139,719, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
633 occurrences · 9.4% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
474 occurrences · 7.0% of tests
- 03
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
385 occurrences · 5.7% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
328 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
296 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
293 occurrences · 4.3% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade defective
258 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
253 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 09
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
227 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 10
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
226 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£48–£240
If every one of this Previa's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Previa?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Previa and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.