Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2016 Toyota Rav4?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2016 Toyota Rav4?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2016 Toyota Rav4?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2016 Toyota Rav4 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 7,883 vehicles, the 2016 Toyota Rav4 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 89.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2016 Toyota Rav4?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2016 Toyota Rav4 are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (39.4% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (38.5% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (30% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2016 Toyota Rav4?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

CarHunch

Get Started

Toyota Rav4 (2016)

7,883 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.6% first-time pass rate

2016 Toyota Rav4

CarHunch analysed 7,883 real MOT records for the 2016 Toyota Rav4. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2016 RAV4 is a genuinely reliable buy, with an 89.6% first-time pass rate that sits well above the UK average of 80%—and this consistency holds across all three fuel types, whether hybrid, diesel, or petrol. However, nearly one in five vehicles (19.8%) have experienced a dangerous defect at some point, which is a meaningful concern worth factoring into your pre-purchase inspection.

At 50,721 miles on average, these RAV4s are running relatively low mileage for their age, suggesting they've been looked after by their previous owners. The 7.2 average advisories per vehicle point to minor wear rather than structural problems, so budget for routine maintenance but don't expect major surprises—just get a full pre-purchase history check to confirm any dangerous defects haven't been overlooked.

The 2016 Toyota Rav4 passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (89.6%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

89.6%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

19.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.91

Over 7.8 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

47k

Middle half: 35k–60k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 89.6% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 7.2 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 7,883 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 7,883 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 39.4%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 21.6%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 12.4%

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Other issues 11.8%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 7,883 Toyota Rav4 cars.

Before you buy a 2016 Toyota Rav4

Based on MOT data from 7,883 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 19.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Hybrid Electric (Clean) (55%)	4,299	89.6%	0.92
Diesel (33%)	2,608	89.2%	0.94
Petrol (12%)	971	90.6%	0.79

Colour Breakdown

Based on 162,841 Toyota Rav4 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 21.5%

34,938

Blue 17.1%

27,808

Grey 16.5%

26,932

Black 15.5%

25,263

White 10.7%

17,478

Red 7.8%

12,695

Green 6.8%

11,063

Beige 2.5%

4,082

Turquoise 0.6%

996

Brown 0.6%

948

Purple 0.2%

344

Gold 0.2%

294

Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 Toyota Rav4 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

47,053

typical

35,168

low mileage

59,781

high mileage

Half of all 2016 Toyota Rav4 vehicles fall between 35,168 and 59,781 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 35,168 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 35,168–59,781 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2016 Toyota Rav4s sit.

⚠ Over 80,704 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2016 Toyota Rav4 — Still on the Road

Almost all 2016 Toyota Rav4s are still on the road.

Strong survival — 7,361 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 97% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

7.8

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.91

Avg failures per vehicle

7.2

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Toyota Rav4: All Rav4 years → Which year to buy? →

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Toyota →

Compare with another model

See how the 2016 Toyota Rav4 stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?