Which vehicles are most and least likely to fail an MOT?
A recent analysis of over 209 million MOT test records by MoneySuperMarket has revealed which car models are performing best — and worst — when it comes to first-time MOT failure rates. What the article doesn’t mention though is the age of these vehicles.
On motester.co.uk/wp/’s “Your Car’s MOT Results” page, you can look up how a car of a particular make, model, fuel type, engine size and mileage performed in last year’s MOT Testing database. This provides an excellent data point for customers to use.
Cars with the Lowest MOT Fail Rates (MoneySuperMarket data)
| Rank | Model | Fail Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche 911 (Petrol) | 4.43% |
| 2 | Volkswagen T-Roc (Petrol) | 6.63% |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 (Hybrid) | 6.86% |
| 4 | Audi Q3 (Petrol) | 6.88% |
| 5 | Toyota Yaris (Hybrid) | 7.26% |
| 6 | Audi Q2 (Petrol) | 7.49% |
| 7 | Ford Puma (Petrol) | 7.59% |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz GLA (Diesel) | 7.84% |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz GLA (Petrol) | 7.93% |
| 10 | Ford Kuga (Petrol) | 8.14% |
Cars with the Highest MOT Fail Rates (MoneySuperMarket data)
| Rank | Model | Fail Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peugeot 207 (Diesel) | 34.71% |
| 2 | Peugeot 207 (Petrol) | 33.23% |
| 3 | Peugeot 206 (Petrol) | 33.20% |
| 4 | Citroën DS3 (Diesel) | 33.17% |
| 5 | Fiat Punto (Petrol) | 31.62% |
| 6 | Renault Megane (Petrol) | 31.55% |
| 7 | Volkswagen Polo (Diesel) | 30.45% |
| 8 | Citroën DS3 (Petrol) | 30.40% |
| 9 | Ford Fiesta (Diesel) | 30.23% |
| 10 | Volkswagen Beetle (Petrol) | 29.95% |
Quick Facts from the MOT Data Analysis
- Data Source: Over 815 million MOT test records analysed by MoneySuperMarket, using official DVSA data from Great Britain (since 2005) and Northern Ireland (since 2017).
- Common Failure Causes: Parking/hand-brake not holding (over 9 million failures), tyre tread below the legal 1.6 mm limit, and ineffective wipers or washer fluid issues remain the top reasons for MOT failure.
- Fuel Type Trends: Diesel cars most often fail due to worn rear brake pads, while electric vehicles tend to fail for tyre wear or damage — likely due to higher torque and weight.
- Vehicle Age: On average, petrol cars reach nearly 9 years before their first MOT failure, compared with around 6.5 years for diesel vehicles.
- When MOT Tests Peak: October is the busiest month for MOTs (around 9.7 % of all tests), followed by March and September. Tuesdays are the busiest testing day across the UK.
Source: MoneySuperMarket MOT Report and DVSA MOT Testing Database.
Check how your customers’ cars perform
Use the Your Car’s MOT Results tool to see real data from last year’s MOT Testing database. By entering the make, model, fuel type, engine size and mileage, you can view how similar vehicles performed at MOT test. This can help you inform customers, highlight potential issues before the test, and demonstrate the value of preventative maintenance.
Summary
These findings offer garages valuable insight into which makes and models have higher or lower MOT failure risk. Combined with the detailed MOT performance data available on motester.co.uk/wp/, you can better prepare for incoming vehicles, manage workshop time efficiently, and provide data-driven advice to your customers.
Data source: GB News / MoneySuperMarket MOT data.
You must be logged in to leave a comment.
Login or Register to Comment