MOT by postcode area
MOT results in North West London (NW)
How cars did at MOT test stations in the NW 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 78.7% Great Britain 72.8%
- Against cars of the same ages +3.9 pts 17th of 118 areas
- Average age at the test 9.9 years cars aged three and over
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.5% Great Britain 7.3%
- Average annual mileage 5,453 miles; Great Britain 6,728
- Car MOT tests, 2025 195,281 197,779 in 2024
How do cars in North West London do at their MOT?
In 2025, 78.7% of the 195,281 car MOT tests at stations in the NW postcode area were passed first time, against 72.8% across Great Britain. The cars tested here averaged 9.9 years old; with that mix of ages, cars across Great Britain pass 74.8% of the time, so North West London does 3.9 points better than its age mix would suggest, 17th of 118 areas. In 2024 the pass rate here was 77.7%.
Pass rate by age: North West London vs Great Britain
Each pair of bars covers cars of the same age, so an area with older cars is compared fairly.
| Vehicle age | North West London | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 88.5% | 89.5% |
| 4–5 years | 88.2% | 87.6% |
| 6–7 years | 84.8% | 83.0% |
| 8–10 years | 80.4% | 75.7% |
| 11–14 years | 72.4% | 65.5% |
| 15–19 years | 65.4% | 58.0% |
| 20+ years | 65.5% | 61.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures in North West London
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment defects appeared on 45.6% of failed tests here (Great Britain 36.8%). The most common single defect was “Position lamp: not working” (9.7% of failed tests). 41.7% 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 |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 45.6% |
| Tyres | 26.1% |
| Visibility | 18.7% |
| Suspension | 18.1% |
| Brakes | 15.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.5% |
| Steering | 3.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common defects
Share of failed tests with each defect.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.7% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 9.1% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.0% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 7.6% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.2% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 6.6% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.4% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.0% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 5.9% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Cars tested most in North West London
The models with the most MOT tests in the NW 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf | 6,299 | 78.0% |
| Toyota Prius | 5,942 | 76.2% |
| Toyota Yaris | 5,596 | 76.6% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 5,446 | 70.6% |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 5,194 | 80.7% |
| Nissan Qashqai | 4,098 | 74.9% |
| Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 4,039 | 81.9% |
| Kia Niro | 3,978 | 86.1% |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 3,791 | 85.7% |
| BMW 3 Series | 3,790 | 82.2% |
Areas ranked near North West London
By pass rate against cars of the same ages. All 118 postcode areas.
| Rank | Area | Pass rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Bromley (BR) | 79.5% | +4.3 pts |
| 15 | Birmingham (B) | 76.3% | +4.2 pts |
| 16 | Dartford (DA) | 77.7% | +4.1 pts |
| 17 | North West London (NW) | 78.7% | +3.9 pts |
| 18 | Luton (LU) | 75.0% | +3.7 pts |
| 19 | South West London (SW) | 77.3% | +3.5 pts |
| 20 | South East London (SE) | 75.5% | +3.4 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 | 195,281 car MOT tests in the NW area | 15 September 2026 |
- Normal MOT tests of cars aged three and over at test stations in the NW 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 NW area covers more than North West London 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.