ProtonUsed-car reliability
Here's how a used Proton holds up at the MOT, model by model.
What actually goes wrong
The most common MOT faults across the Proton range, in plain English. Models with more MOT tests count for more. The percentage is the share of MOT tests on Proton cars that recorded that defect.
A tyre is worn, cut, damaged or otherwise not fit for the road. Tyres are the only thing connecting the car to the road, so this is always worth taking seriously.
MOT wording: Tyre worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge
A suspension spring is broken, cracked, corroded, or missing. This includes coil springs, leaf springs, and torsion bars. Springs support the car's weight — a broken one lowers one corner of the car and affects handling.
MOT wording: Coil spring corroded
The main (foot) brakes aren't reaching the minimum required stopping force. The car may take longer to stop than it should.
MOT wording: Brake binding slightly
A rigid metal brake pipe is corroded, damaged, kinked, or leaking. These permanently fixed pipes carry pressurised brake fluid — any weakness is a serious safety concern.
MOT wording: Brake pipe corroded or covered in grease
Across all Proton models; models with more MOT tests count for more.
The whole range
For each model, one number: the share of its MOT tests at 7 years old that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. Lower is better. The UK average (about 1 in 6 MOTs, 16.6%) is shown for reference. Only models with enough MOT data at 7 years old are ranked. The rest sit just below, unranked.
Fail rates are the share of MOT tests on 7-year-old cars ending in a fail, retests included (DVSA MOT results, 2025). UK average across all makes at the same age: 16.6%. How we count fail rates
Shown unranked. These models don’t have enough MOT data at 7 years old yet. They’re either too new (few cars old enough) or too old (few still on the road). Each is shown at the age with the most tests, so the percentages aren’t directly comparable to the list above.
Averages tell you the odds across the range. Enter a number plate to see that car’s own MOT history, its risk rating, and what’s likely to need attention.
