MOT by postcode area
MOT results in Chester (CH)
How cars did at MOT test stations in the CH postcode area (England) in 2025: pass rates against cars of the same ages, what fails most often, how far cars here are driven and the models tested most.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 70.2% Great Britain 72.8%
- Against cars of the same ages −2.9 pts 88th of 118 areas
- Average age at the test 10.4 years cars aged three and over
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.0% Great Britain 7.3%
- Average annual mileage 6,687 miles; Great Britain 6,728
- Car MOT tests, 2025 324,501 326,060 in 2024
How do cars in Chester do at their MOT?
In 2025, 70.2% of the 324,501 car MOT tests at stations in the CH postcode area were passed first time, against 72.8% across Great Britain. The cars tested here averaged 10.4 years old; with that mix of ages, cars across Great Britain pass 73.1% of the time, so Chester does 2.9 points worse than its age mix would suggest, 88th of 118 areas. In 2024 the pass rate here was 70.6%.
Pass rate by age: Chester vs Great Britain
Each pair of bars covers cars of the same age, so an area with older cars is compared fairly.
| Vehicle age | Chester | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 87.9% | 89.5% |
| 4–5 years | 86.3% | 87.6% |
| 6–7 years | 81.2% | 83.0% |
| 8–10 years | 72.5% | 75.7% |
| 11–14 years | 62.2% | 65.5% |
| 15–19 years | 53.9% | 58.0% |
| 20+ years | 57.6% | 61.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures in Chester
Suspension defects appeared on 35.0% of failed tests here (Great Britain 32.4%). The most common single defect was “Coil spring: fractured or broken” (10.9% of failed tests). 53.3% of tests ended with at least one advisory (Great Britain 51.9%).
Failure categories
The marker shows the share across Great Britain.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 35.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 34.1% |
| Brakes | 23.1% |
| Tyres | 23.0% |
| Visibility | 14.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 12.0% |
| Steering | 6.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common defects
Share of failed tests with each defect.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 10.9% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 7.8% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.3% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.0% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 6.0% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 5.7% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.7% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.6% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 5.4% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 5.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Cars tested most in Chester
The models with the most MOT tests in the CH postcode area in 2025, and how often they passed first time here and across Great Britain. A model’s pass rate depends on the ages of the cars tested, which differ between areas.
| Model | Tests here | Pass rate here |
|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Corsa | 15,102 | 63.9% |
| Ford Fiesta | 13,703 | 61.6% |
| Ford Focus | 9,419 | 63.5% |
| Vauxhall Astra | 9,335 | 64.7% |
| Volkswagen Golf | 7,705 | 75.5% |
| Nissan Qashqai | 5,994 | 65.9% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 5,711 | 67.9% |
| Fiat 500 | 5,246 | 64.2% |
| BMW 3 Series | 5,124 | 73.8% |
| Renault Clio | 4,698 | 54.4% |
Areas ranked near Chester
By pass rate against cars of the same ages. All 118 postcode areas.
| Rank | Area | Pass rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | Wigan (WN) | 70.8% | −2.6 pts |
| 86 | Galashiels (TD) | 71.8% | −2.7 pts |
| 87 | Portsmouth (PO) | 68.4% | −2.8 pts |
| 88 | Chester (CH) | 70.2% | −2.9 pts |
| 89 | Brighton (BN) | 68.5% | −2.9 pts |
| 90 | Torquay (TQ) | 66.8% | −2.9 pts |
| 91 | Huddersfield (HD) | 71.4% | −3.0 pts |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 324,501 car MOT tests in the CH area | 15 September 2026 |
- Normal MOT tests of cars aged three and over at test stations in the CH postcode area in 2025; retests are excluded.
- The area is where the test station is, not where the car is kept. Most people use a station near home or work, but not all.
- Postcode area names are Royal Mail’s. The CH area covers more than Chester itself.
- Same ages: what all cars in Great Britain would score with this area’s mix of ages, in seven age bands.
- Annual mileage comes from consecutive MOT odometer readings of the same car, 300 to 430 days apart.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.