Car statistics by year
2008 Saab 9-3
Saab 9-3 cars first registered in 2008: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2008, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 63.9% All 2008 cars 57.0%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 120,800 miles; all 2008 cars 104,200
- Left at the end of 2025 5,926 48.0% of the 12,335 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 9.5% All 2008 cars 10.4%
- Tests with an advisory 66.6% All 2008 cars 69.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 5,027 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2008 Saab 9-3s do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 17 years old, 63.9% of 2008 Saab 9-3 MOT tests were passed first time, against 57.0% for all cars first registered in 2008. 2008 Saab 9-3s did better than average for their age, by 6.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 65.1% of the time (all 2008 cars 56.8%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Saab 9-3 vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Saab 9-3 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Saab 9-3 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’00 | 65.4% | 63.1% |
| ’01 | 64.8% | 61.5% |
| ’02 | 69.6% | 59.7% |
| ’03 | 63.7% | 58.9% |
| ’04 | 58.8% | 57.9% |
| ’05 | 61.0% | 57.7% |
| ’06 | 60.7% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 63.3% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 63.9% | 57.0% |
| ’09 | 65.2% | 58.2% |
| ’10 | 65.9% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 66.8% | 61.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2008 Saab 9-3
Coil spring: fractured or broken was the most common single reason a 2008 Saab 9-3 failed, on 18.7% of about 1,800 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (44.0% of failed tests; all 2008 cars 41.7%). 9.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 10.4% for all cars first registered in 2008. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 18.7% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 8.8% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.4% |
| Exhaust system: major leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 6.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 6.3% |
| Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side Brakes | 5.8% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 5.7% |
| Linkage ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 5.4% |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes | 5.1% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 5.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Saab 9-3 vs all 2008 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 44.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31.0% |
| Brakes | 29.5% |
| Tyres | 18.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 18.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.6% |
| Visibility | 12.3% |
| Steering | 5.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2008 Saab 9-3
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 66.6% of 2008 Saab 9-3 tests had at least one (all 2008 cars 69.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 19.7% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.1% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 13.0% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 10.3% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 9.5% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.3% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 7.1% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 6.5% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 6.1% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 6.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2008 Saab 9-3?
Half of the 2008 Saab 9-3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 120,800 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 93,300 and a quarter more than 148,400. For all cars first registered in 2008, the middle figure was 104,200 miles, so 2008 Saab 9-3s have been driven 15.9% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Saab 9-3 | 70,600 | 93,300 | 120,800 | 148,400 | 178,100 | 4,849 |
| All 2008 cars | 55,300 | 77,400 | 104,200 | 133,600 | 162,900 | 828,912 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2008 Saab 9-3s are left?
At the end of 2014, 12,335 2008 Saab 9-3s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 5,926 were: 4,423 licensed and 1,503 declared off the road (SORN). That is 48.0% still on the record, against 50.5% for all cars first registered in 2008.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2008 Saab 9-3 | All 2008 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | 98.3% |
| 2016 | 96.5% | 96.8% |
| 2017 | 93.6% | 94.3% |
| 2018 | 90.4% | 91.0% |
| 2019 | 85.0% | 86.8% |
| 2020 | 79.7% | 82.2% |
| 2021 | 73.0% | 76.3% |
| 2022 | 66.5% | 70.5% |
| 2023 | 60.0% | 64.2% |
| 2024 | 53.3% | 57.2% |
| 2025 | 48.0% | 50.5% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2008
None of the Saab 9-3’s 10 recalls in DVSA’s records has build dates that include 2008. 7 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2008 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2008 may have been built in 2007, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
Every Saab 9-3 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Saab 9-3
12 years of the Saab 9-3, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2002 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (69.6% passed first time) and the 2004 cars worst (58.8%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | – | 1,440 | 65.4% |
| 2001 | – | 1,514 | 64.8% |
| 2002 | – | 1,440 | 69.6% |
| 2003 | – | 1,527 | 63.7% |
| 2004 | – | 2,868 | 58.8% |
| 2005 | – | 4,418 | 61.0% |
| 2006 | – | 5,995 | 60.7% |
| 2007 | – | 7,049 | 63.3% |
| 2008 | – | 5,926 | 63.9% |
| 2009 | – | 3,675 | 65.2% |
| 2010 | – | 3,381 | 65.9% |
| 2011 | – | 2,368 | 66.8% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 5,027 MOT tests of 2008 Saab 9-3 cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 5,926 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Saab 9-3 cars first registered in 2008; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2008.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.