MOT reliability
MOT pass rates and failures
How cars do at their MOT, how that changes with age and what fails most often. Built from DVSA’s record of every MOT test in Great Britain.
In 2025, 72.8% of MOT tests on cars aged three and over were passed first time, against 72.3% in 2024. That covers 29,122,953 tests matched to a car model.
- Car MOT tests analysed 29.1 million normal tests in 2025
- Found a dangerous defect 7.3% of tests
- Average annual mileage 6,727 miles a year, from odometer readings
First-time pass rate by age
Pass rates fall from 89.5% at a car’s first MOT to 58.0% at 15–19 years, then rise a little for the oldest cars, which are often kept as classics.
| Vehicle age | First-time pass rate |
|---|---|
| 3 years | 89.5% |
| 4–5 years | 87.6% |
| 6–7 years | 83.0% |
| 8–10 years | 75.7% |
| 11–14 years | 65.5% |
| 15–19 years | 58.0% |
| 20+ years | 61.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common reasons for failure
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and tyres cause the most failures.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 36.8% |
| Suspension | 32.4% |
| Tyres | 23.5% |
| Brakes | 21.8% |
| Visibility | 15.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 11.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.9% |
| Steering | 6.8% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 3.3% |
| Road wheels | 1.4% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 1.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Best and worst models for their age
Each model’s first-time pass rate in 2025 against what all cars would score with the same mix of ages, so an older model is not marked down just for being older. Models with at least 20,000 tests. See every model ranked.
Best for their age
| Model | Pass rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Porsche 911 52,552 tests | 89.1% | +21.8 pts |
| Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 20,771 tests | 82.9% | +19.0 pts |
| Porsche Boxster 32,327 tests | 82.6% | +17.9 pts |
| Jaguar XK Series 22,674 tests | 77.1% | +16.3 pts |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class 25,742 tests | 83.6% | +12.2 pts |
| Jaguar XJ Series 24,307 tests | 75.9% | +11.7 pts |
| BMW Z4 35,131 tests | 77.7% | +11.5 pts |
| Porsche Cayenne 31,730 tests | 85.2% | +11.2 pts |
| BMW 6 Series 21,671 tests | 79.6% | +10.9 pts |
| Lexus CT 200 30,463 tests | 82.8% | +10.4 pts |
Worst for their age
| Model | Pass rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Citroën DS3 68,172 tests | 51.8% | −14.7 pts |
| Renault Clio 306,492 tests | 57.0% | −12.7 pts |
| DS DS3 33,881 tests | 65.9% | −12.3 pts |
| Renault Megane 93,832 tests | 55.3% | −10.9 pts |
| Citroën C4 171,485 tests | 62.4% | −10.5 pts |
| Peugeot 207 112,674 tests | 50.2% | −10.2 pts |
| Dacia Sandero 117,596 tests | 69.1% | −9.8 pts |
| Peugeot 307 21,624 tests | 49.4% | −9.8 pts |
| Dacia Duster 81,646 tests | 71.1% | −9.6 pts |
| Renault Scenic 31,881 tests | 55.9% | −8.7 pts |
How far cars are driven by age
The average car covers 6,727 miles a year. Younger cars are driven furthest.
| Vehicle age | Miles a year |
|---|---|
| 3 years | 8,081 |
| 4–5 years | 8,052 |
| 6–7 years | 7,681 |
| 8–10 years | 7,183 |
| 11–14 years | 6,439 |
| 15–19 years | 5,567 |
| 20+ years | 3,860 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Class 4 MOT tests, which also cover light vans, had a first-time pass rate of 71.7% in 2024 and 72.3% in 2025. Figures above count only tests we could match to a car model. See how we work out MOT figures.