MOT pass rates by car model
How often do the UK's most popular cars pass their MOT first time? We analysed all 32,737,817 class 4 MOT tests carried out in Great Britain in 2023. The average first-time pass rate was 71.4%.
Most common MOT failure areas
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 11.3%
- Suspension 8.9%
- Brakes 6.8%
- Tyres 6.3%
- Visibility 4.8%
- Body, chassis, structure 3.4%
- Noise, emissions and leaks 3.1%
- Steering 1.8%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 1.0%
- Road Wheels 0.4%
Best MOT pass rates
- Mini Cooper 85.0% vs 71.4%
- Audi Q5 83.7% vs 71.4%
- Audi Q3 83.1% vs 71.4%
- BMW X1 82.9% vs 71.4%
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 82.8% vs 71.4%
- Land Rover Discovery Sport 82.3% vs 71.4%
- Hyundai Tucson 82.2% vs 71.4%
- Volkswagen UP 81.5% vs 71.4%
- Volkswagen Tiguan 81.0% vs 71.4%
- Ford Ecosport 80.8% vs 71.4%
Lowest MOT pass rates
- Peugeot 207 50.7% vs 71.4%
- Renault Megane 54.3% vs 71.4%
- Vauxhall Vivaro 55.2% vs 71.4%
- Renault Clio 55.6% vs 71.4%
- Renault Trafic 56.5% vs 71.4%
- Citroen Berlingo 58.0% vs 71.4%
- Vauxhall Combo 58.4% vs 71.4%
- Citroen C4 60.3% vs 71.4%
- Vauxhall Zafira 61.0% vs 71.4%
- Peugeot Partner 62.2% vs 71.4%
Low pass rates often reflect the age and mileage of the cars still on the road rather than poor design. Models with many older, high-mileage examples, or many used as taxis and work vehicles, tend to fail more often.
All 100 most-tested models
| # | Model | Tests | Pass rate | Top fail area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Fiesta | 1,404,695 | 66.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 2 | Ford Focus | 975,490 | 68.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 3 | Vauxhall Corsa | 883,423 | 62.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 4 | Volkswagen Golf | 879,928 | 72.8% | Suspension |
| 5 | Vauxhall Astra | 696,494 | 65.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 6 | Volkswagen Polo | 611,182 | 66.6% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 7 | Nissan Qashqai | 553,467 | 70.5% | Suspension |
| 8 | Toyota Yaris | 440,932 | 71.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 9 | BMW 3 Series | 410,756 | 72.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 10 | Audi A3 | 410,451 | 74.2% | Suspension |
| 11 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 385,809 | 74.7% | Suspension |
| 12 | Honda Jazz | 327,822 | 74.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 13 | Renault Clio | 326,522 | 55.6% | Suspension |
| 14 | Ford Transit | 315,398 | 62.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 15 | Fiat 500 | 307,724 | 68.7% | Suspension |
| 16 | Honda Civic | 293,959 | 67.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 17 | Mini | 287,825 | 62.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 18 | Nissan Juke | 277,347 | 69.4% | Suspension |
| 19 | Volkswagen Transporter | 276,006 | 66.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 20 | Audi A4 | 264,163 | 72.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 21 | Ford Kuga | 257,620 | 79.1% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 22 | Nissan Micra | 254,909 | 64.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 23 | Toyota Aygo | 248,529 | 76.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 24 | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 247,288 | 75.9% | Tyres |
| 25 | Kia Sportage | 245,553 | 77.0% | Brakes |
| 26 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 241,620 | 77.5% | Tyres |
| 27 | Hyundai i10 | 236,690 | 73.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 28 | Skoda Fabia | 235,517 | 71.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 29 | Vauxhall Zafira | 227,468 | 61.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 30 | Vauxhall Mokka | 220,322 | 74.3% | Suspension |
| 31 | Vauxhall Insignia | 216,995 | 68.1% | Suspension |
| 32 | Ford Mondeo | 214,942 | 66.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 33 | Audi A1 | 204,837 | 78.2% | Suspension |
| 34 | Honda CR-V | 203,525 | 74.1% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 35 | Skoda Octavia | 202,474 | 75.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 36 | Volkswagen Passat | 200,403 | 70.2% | Suspension |
| 37 | Mini Cooper | 198,484 | 85.0% | Tyres |
| 38 | Citroen C3 | 194,087 | 64.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 39 | Seat Ibiza | 192,804 | 66.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 40 | Ford KA | 190,188 | 68.2% | Suspension |
| 41 | Citroen Berlingo | 183,661 | 58.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 42 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 182,779 | 81.0% | Suspension |
| 43 | Peugeot 208 | 181,888 | 72.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 44 | Seat Leon | 177,369 | 76.1% | Suspension |
| 45 | Kia Picanto | 176,686 | 71.2% | Brakes |
| 46 | Ford Transit Connect | 170,253 | 64.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 47 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 169,593 | 55.2% | Suspension |
| 48 | Citroen C1 | 168,049 | 70.7% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 49 | Peugeot 207 | 157,922 | 50.7% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 50 | Toyota Auris | 157,608 | 74.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 51 | Nissan Note | 157,335 | 65.1% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 52 | Toyota Prius | 155,123 | 78.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 53 | Peugeot Partner | 151,649 | 62.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 54 | Volkswagen Caddy | 147,877 | 68.6% | Suspension |
| 55 | Land Rover Discovery | 143,244 | 71.7% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 56 | BMW 118 | 142,634 | 77.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 57 | Peugeot 308 | 140,803 | 65.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 58 | Citroen C4 | 140,205 | 60.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 59 | Renault Captur | 134,096 | 78.4% | Suspension |
| 60 | Land Rover Range Rover Evoque | 133,577 | 82.8% | Tyres |
| 61 | Land Rover Freelander | 129,599 | 66.1% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 62 | Peugeot 3008 | 127,010 | 70.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 63 | Audi A6 | 126,371 | 78.8% | Tyres |
| 64 | Suzuki Swift | 126,066 | 70.7% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 65 | Hyundai i20 | 124,667 | 73.6% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 66 | Mazda 2 | 122,824 | 69.4% | Suspension |
| 67 | Audi A5 | 121,266 | 78.4% | Tyres |
| 68 | Land Rover Range Rover Sport | 120,861 | 79.5% | Brakes |
| 69 | Volkswagen UP | 119,985 | 81.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 70 | Peugeot 107 | 118,762 | 64.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 71 | Ford C-Max | 117,723 | 70.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 72 | Renault Megane | 116,345 | 54.3% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 73 | Kia Ceed | 116,243 | 66.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 74 | Audi TT | 115,643 | 75.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 75 | Hyundai Tucson | 114,923 | 82.2% | Brakes |
| 76 | BMW 116 | 110,326 | 73.5% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 77 | Mazda 3 | 109,800 | 68.3% | Suspension |
| 78 | Hyundai i30 | 106,669 | 65.9% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 79 | Audi Q3 | 106,160 | 83.1% | Suspension |
| 80 | Renault Trafic | 103,017 | 56.5% | Suspension |
| 81 | Land Rover Defender | 102,536 | 67.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 82 | Jaguar XF | 101,670 | 75.8% | Tyres |
| 83 | Vauxhall Meriva | 101,057 | 62.4% | Suspension |
| 84 | Vauxhall Combo | 100,486 | 58.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 85 | Volvo V40 | 100,475 | 73.3% | Suspension |
| 86 | BMW X1 | 99,780 | 82.9% | Tyres |
| 87 | Ford Ranger | 99,276 | 70.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 88 | Dacia Sandero | 98,217 | 70.2% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 89 | Kia Rio | 98,203 | 69.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 90 | Peugeot 2008 | 98,046 | 73.4% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 91 | Ford Ecosport | 97,998 | 80.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 92 | Audi Q5 | 97,963 | 83.7% | Tyres |
| 93 | Mazda MX-5 | 94,532 | 73.8% | Suspension |
| 94 | Nissan X-Trail | 94,324 | 71.0% | Suspension |
| 95 | BMW X3 | 94,163 | 79.1% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 96 | Fiat Panda | 92,612 | 65.5% | Suspension |
| 97 | Land Rover Discovery Sport | 92,101 | 82.3% | Tyres |
| 98 | Toyota RAV4 | 91,295 | 79.0% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 99 | Volvo XC60 | 91,073 | 78.8% | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment |
| 100 | Land Rover Range Rover | 90,539 | 77.6% | Suspension |
How we worked this out
We used DVSA's anonymised MOT testing data for 2023 and counted normal class 4 tests (not retests) for each make and model as recorded at the test. A first-time pass means the vehicle passed without repairs. Tests where faults were fixed at the station within an hour (PRS) count as fails, matching DVSA's own statistics. Abandoned and aborted tests are excluded.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average MOT pass rate?
In 2023, 71.4% of class 4 vehicles (cars, taxis and light vans) passed their MOT first time, from 32,737,817 normal tests.
Which popular car has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the 100 most-tested models, the Mini Cooper had the highest first-time pass rate at 85.0%.
Which popular car has the worst MOT pass rate?
The Peugeot 207 had the lowest first-time pass rate of the 100 most-tested models, at 50.7%. Older average age and higher mileage usually explain low pass rates.
What is the most common reason for an MOT fail?
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment caused 11.3% of all tests to fail. See our common MOT failures guide for a pre-test checklist.