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Car problems by model

Common car problems and MOT pass rates, model by model

Where each model fails its MOT, from 34,304,684 initial tests in Great Britain in 2025. Choose a make below, or enter a registration to see one car's own record.

All cars and vans at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests
34,304,684
Passed first time
72.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 5.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS)
27.9%
Had a dangerous defect
7.3%

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Most tested

The 20 most tested models

Initial MOT tests in 2025, and the share that passed first time.

ModelTestsPassed first time
Ford Fiesta1,360,71765.6%
Ford Focus897,51167.8%
Vauxhall Corsa897,41864.6%
Volkswagen Golf882,48675.1%
Volkswagen Polo632,08167.4%
Nissan Qashqai600,11969.0%
Ford Transit592,15862.9%
Vauxhall Astra584,20765.8%
BMW 3 Series478,90576.0%
Toyota Yaris478,89673.2%
Fiat 500422,49568.1%
Audi A3420,94675.9%
BMW 1 Series395,07076.4%
Mercedes-Benz A-Class363,68978.3%
Mercedes-Benz C-Class359,09474.7%
MINI Cooper355,97384.5%
Volkswagen Transporter339,99068.6%
Honda Jazz339,81574.4%
Nissan Juke328,25669.8%
Ford Kuga312,07979.4%

Failure areas

Where cars and vans fail

The share of all initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT.

  1. 1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    10.8%

    Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiring

  2. 2Suspension

    9.0%

    Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axles

  3. 3Brakes

    6.4%

    Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stops

  4. 4Tyres

    6.2%

    Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systems

  5. 5Visibility

    4.4%

    The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrors

  6. 6Body, chassis and structure

    3.3%

    Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountings

  7. 7Noise, emissions and leaks

    3.2%

    Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaks

  8. 8Steering

    2.0%

    Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and column

  9. 9Seat belts and airbags

    1.0%

    Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning light

  10. 10Road wheels

    0.4%

    Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubs

  11. 11Registration plates and VIN

    0.3%

    Number plates and the vehicle identification number

Browse

Every make and model

530 models with at least 2,000 initial tests in 2025, with the share that passed first time.

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How these figures are worked out

They come from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025. We count initial tests on cars and light vans (classes 4 and 7) and leave out retests, appeals and abandoned tests, as DVSA does in its own statistics. A pass first time means no repairs were needed. A failure area counts a test once if it had at least one fail or PRS item there; advisories and minor defects are not counted.

Models are grouped the way the Department for Transport groups them in its vehicle licensing statistics, so versions that share a name, such as an estate or a crossover, are counted together. Models with fewer than 2,000 tests are not shown.

An average describes thousands of cars, not the one you are looking at. To see a particular car's MOT history, mileage and tax, use the free MOT history check.

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.