Toyota Prius Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems

Free Toyota Prius vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.

  • 81% MOT pass rate
  • 4,138 Priuss checked
  • 14.9% of Toyotas had outstanding finance

Toyota Prius reg check

Example: AB12 CDE (Free instant lookup)

Free MOT, mileage and tax check by reg or VIN. Full car history check from £3.99.

Full Toyota Prius history check from £3.99

The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Toyota Prius car check:

Of the 134 Toyota vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.9% had outstanding finance recorded, 11.2% an insurance write-off record and 20.1% a number plate change.

  • Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
  • Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
  • Police stolen marker
  • High risk register
  • Previous keepers and last change
  • Plate and colour changes
  • Scrapped, imported or exported
  • Mileage anomaly check
Check a Prius by reg → See a sample full report Prices and bundles

£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.

Free Toyota Prius MOT History and Mileage Data

What the MOT records of 4,103 Toyota Prius vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.

  • 81%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
  • 17,000typical miles a year
  • 9.6%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
  • 50,149MOT tests analysed
  • 2011–2018built (middle half)
  • 83%hybrid electric (clean); 8% electric; 5% other; 4% petrol

Toyota Prius common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories

The defects MOT testers record most often on the Toyota Prius, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the Prius's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.

Top 15 Toyota Prius MOT failures

Reasons the car failed its MOT.

  1. Position lamp not working3.4%
  2. Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.9%
  3. Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively1.6%
  4. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.6%
  5. Registration plate lamp not working1.4%
  6. Headlamp not working on dipped beam1.3%
  7. Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%
  8. Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid0.8%
  9. Fog lamp not working0.7%
  10. Headlamp aim too low0.7%
Show all 15
  1. Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps0.7%
  2. Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction0.6%
  3. Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt0.5%
  4. Headlamp aim too high0.5%
  5. Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.5%

Top 20 Toyota Prius MOT advisories

Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.

  1. Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge6.5%
  2. Brake pad wearing thin4.1%
  3. Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened3.2%
  4. Tyre worn close to the legal limit2.8%
  5. Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.9%
  6. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources1.7%
  7. Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1.5%
  8. Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material0.9%
  9. Nail in tyre0.9%
  10. Shock absorbers has light misting of oil0.9%
Show all 20
  1. Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output0.9%
  2. Oil leak, but not excessive0.9%
  3. Play in steering rack inner joint0.8%
  4. Brake disc worn, but not excessively0.7%
  5. Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement0.6%
  6. Windscreen wiper blade defective0.6%
  7. Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.6%
  8. Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated0.6%
  9. Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt0.5%
  10. Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view0.5%
  • Lights and indicators: 59% of failed tests
  • Number plate: 25% of failed tests
  • Tyres: 22% of failed tests
  • Windscreen and wipers: 17% of failed tests
  • Brakes: 14% of failed tests
  • Tyres advisory: 16% of tests
  • Brakes advisory: 13% of tests
  • Suspension advisory: 7% of tests

Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 4,103 Toyota Prius vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since March 2023 (50,149 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Toyota Prius versions

Every Toyota Prius version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "Prius" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.

VersionVehiclesMOT pass rateTop failure area
Prius (no version recorded)
  • Prius +: 5
 4,005 81% Lights and indicators
Prius Plus
  • Prius Plus: 76
  • and 3 more
 79 – –

Key history checks before buying a used Toyota Prius

All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.

Outstanding finance

A Toyota on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check

Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)

Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check

Police stolen marker

Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check

High risk register

Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the Prius. Find out why before you buy.

Mileage anomaly check & MOT history

Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check

Previous keepers & plate changes

How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check

More free and full vehicle checks for a Toyota Prius

See a sample full report · Prices

Full Toyota Prius car check from £3.99 a report

Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Toyota Prius you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.

Check a Prius by reg → See a sample report

Toyota Prius MOT questions

How do I check a used Toyota Prius for outstanding finance or a write-off?

Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 134 Toyota Prius vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.9% had outstanding finance recorded and 11.2% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.

Is a Toyota Prius car check free?

The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Toyota Prius are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Toyota Prius?

Position lamp not working: found at 3.4% of the Toyota Prius MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 59% of failed tests.

What is the Toyota Prius MOT pass rate?

81% of 50,149 MOT tests on 4,103 Toyota Prius vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.

What are the common problems with the Toyota Prius?

Going by its MOT records, the Toyota Prius's most common failures are position lamp not working (3.4% of tests); tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (1.9% of tests); windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (1.6% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.

What is the most common MOT advisory on the Toyota Prius?

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 6.5% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.

How many miles a year is a Toyota Prius typically driven?

About 17,000 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 9.6% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.

More Toyota car checks and guides

Guides for buying a used Toyota Prius