All generations and engines together · 4,708 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 79k
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 2,674 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Toledos built between around 2012 and 2017 were caught up in the Takata airbag recall, where the propellant in the driver's airbag can degrade over time and, in the worst case, fling metal fragments into the cabin on deployment. There have also been separate recalls for ABS wiring faults that can trip the ABS or ESC warning light, and for brake servo vacuum pipes that can crack. All three are free manufacturer recalls rather than owner folklore, so check the VIN against the DVSA recall checker rather than trusting the MOT pass alone.
Cars fitted with the 7-speed DQ200 dry-clutch automatic have a history of judder, gearbox oil loss and gear-selector cable failures, in some cases leaving the car with no drive. SEAT/VW extended the gearbox warranty in response to complaints, and Honest John lists repeated reports of gearboxes needing replacement while still under warranty. Manual Toledos are not affected.
1.6 and 2.0 TDI Toledos built with the EA189 engine were part of the VW Group diesel emissions recall. Owners who have had the fix done report the DPF warning light coming on more often afterwards, along with sluggishness and rattling at higher revs, pointing to the EGR valve and regeneration cycle working harder than before the fix. A few owners also mention the oil pressure light flashing during regeneration. Petrol Toledos are not affected.
Reviewers flagged the ride as fairly unsettled and bouncy on poor UK roads even when the car was new, and owners separately report clonks and rattles developing from the front end as it ages. The measured MOT data backs this up strongly: shock absorbers failing or showing severe leakage on the Toledo run at roughly eight times the class average, and worn suspension bushes and pins are also well above average. This is the one fault where the folklore and the numbers line up cleanly.
On the earlier Toledo, before the 2012 hatchback redesign, owners have reported a scattering of electrical faults including central locking failing, the radio switching itself on, the boot not releasing from the key fob, and at least one early ABS module failure. These do not seem to carry over to the current 2012-2018 hatchback in the same way, but they matter if you are looking at an older, cheaper example.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Saloons & estates), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.