Car statistics by year

2016 Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S cars first registered in 2016: 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 2016, so like is set against like.

A year of the Tesla Model S. “2016” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
2,318 MOT tests of 2016 Tesla Model S cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 78.0% All 2016 cars 75.6%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 93,100 miles; all 2016 cars 65,300
  • Left at the end of 2025 2,214 91.7% of the 2,415 at the end of 2016
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.8% All 2016 cars 6.7%
  • Tests with an advisory 52.2% All 2016 cars 48.6%
  • MOT tests in 2025 2,318 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2016 Tesla Model S cars do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 9 years old, 78.0% of 2016 Tesla Model S MOT tests were passed first time, against 75.6% for all cars first registered in 2016. 2016 Tesla Model S cars did better than average for their age, by 2.4 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 77.8% of the time (all 2016 cars 77.5%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Tesla Model S vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Tesla Model S bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Tesla Model S compared with all cars
First registered Tesla Model SAll cars
’14 73.2%69.1%
’15 75.5%72.6%
’16 78.0%75.6%
’17 80.5%79.1%
’18 82.2%81.8%
’19 84.5%84.4%
’20 81.2%86.9%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2016 Tesla Model S

Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2016 Tesla Model S failed, on 14.5% of about 500 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (43.2% of failed tests; all 2016 cars 27.6%). 8.8% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.7% for all cars first registered in 2016. 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.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2016 Tesla Model S tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 14.5%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 13.2%
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering 12.6%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 12.0%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 11.0%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 9.6%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 6.5%
Door condition: cannot be opened from outside the vehicle Body, chassis, structure 5.9%
Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.3%
Service brake performance: excessively fluctuating Brakes 5.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Tesla Model S vs all 2016 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2016 Tesla Model S MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2016 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Tyres 43.2%
Suspension 32.6%
Brakes 18.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 16.3%
Visibility 14.9%
Steering 14.1%
Body, chassis, structure 7.3%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 2.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2016 Tesla Model S

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 52.2% of 2016 Tesla Model S tests had at least one (all 2016 cars 48.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2016 Tesla Model S tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 21.2%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 9.9%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 8.6%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 8.6%
Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension 6.7%
Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 3.7%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 3.7%
Track rod end: ball joint has slight play Steering 3.7%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 2.7%
Linkage ball joint has slight play Suspension 2.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2016 Tesla Model S?

Half of the 2016 Tesla Model S cars tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 93,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 70,500 and a quarter more than 122,400. For all cars first registered in 2016, the middle figure was 65,300 miles, so 2016 Tesla Model S cars have been driven 42.6% 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%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2016 Tesla Model S and all 2016 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2016 Tesla Model S 50,600 70,500 93,100 122,400 163,200 2,127
All 2016 cars 32,200 47,000 65,300 86,000 108,800 2,323,151
miles

Half of the 2016 Tesla Model S cars tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 93,100 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2016 Tesla Model S cars are left?

At the end of 2016, 2,415 2016 Tesla Model S cars were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 2,214 were: 2,150 licensed and 64 declared off the road (SORN). That is 91.7% still on the record, against 94.1% for all cars first registered in 2016.

Share still on the record since 2016

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2016. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2016 Tesla Model S cars on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2016, compared with all 2016 cars
Year end 2016 Tesla Model SAll 2016 cars
2016 100.0%100.0%
2017 98.5%100.0%
2018 97.1%99.0%
2019 89.4%96.5%
2020 92.0%96.5%
2021 93.9%96.6%
2022 93.3%96.4%
2023 92.7%95.6%
2024 92.2%95.0%
2025 91.7%94.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2016

5 of the Tesla Model S’s 8 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2016.

The 2016 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2016 may have been built in 2015, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Tesla Model S recalls whose build dates include 2016
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
18 Feb 2022 Misalignment of the hood latch may prevent latching of the secondary latch 16 Sept 2014 to 23 Dec 2020 8,351
1 Feb 2021 WHEN THE eMMC REACHES ACCUMULATED LIFETIME WEAR THE CUSTOMER MAY EXPERIENCE A BLANK CENTRE DISPLAY 31 May 2012 to 3 Mar 2018 9,475 (all models)
11 Jan 2019 The propellant in the front passenger airbag inflator may degrade over time 6 Mar 2014 to 7 Dec 2016 4,973
30 Mar 2018 Loss of power steering assistance 31 May 2012 to 9 Apr 2016 3,243
19 Apr 2017 Parking brake may not release correctly 22 Feb 2016 to 10 Jul 2016 1,466 (all models)

Every Tesla Model S 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 Tesla Model S

7 years of the Tesla Model S, 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 2014 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (73.2% passed first time) and the 2020 cars worst (81.2%).

Tesla Model S cars by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2014 696 594 73.2% 69.1%
2015 1,431 1,266 75.5% 72.6%
2016 2,415 2,214 78.0% 75.6%
2017 2,605 2,382 80.5% 79.1%
2018 1,870 1,740 82.2% 81.8%
2019 1,211 1,169 84.5% 84.4%
2020 891 847 81.2% 86.9%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered. 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

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 2,318 MOT tests of 2016 Tesla Model S cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 2,214 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Tesla Model S cars first registered in 2016; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2016.
  • 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.