The DVSA publishes the results of every MOT test in Great Britain. This page pulls the national figures together. It shows how many cars fail, which parts are to blame, and which models hold up best with age. Every number here is about cars in general. For one car, check its own record.
In the 2024-25 testing year, about 3 in 10 cars and light vans (28.1%) failed their MOT at the first attempt. In 2013-14 it was 40%, so the picture has been improving. Newer cars, better tyres and clearer test standards all play a part.
Failing at the first attempt doesn’t mean the car was scrapped. Most are repaired and pass a retest within days. It does mean something needed fixing when the car arrived for its test.
The DVSA groups defects into categories. The table shows the share of all tests that failed on each category in 2024-25. It also shows each category’s share of the defects graded dangerous.
| Category | What it covers | Tests failing on it | Share of dangerous defects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Bulbs, headlamp aim, indicators, wiring | 10.9% | 1.3% |
| Suspension | Springs, shock absorbers, worn bushes and joints | 8.7% | 5.3% |
| Brakes | Pads, discs, pipes, handbrake performance | 6.6% | 29% |
| Tyres | Tread depth, cuts and bulges, mismatched sizes | 6.4% | 60.1% |
| Visibility | Wipers, washers, windscreen damage, view of the road | 4.5% | 0.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | Rust (corrosion) in the structure, sharp edges, loose parts | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | Exhaust, emissions test, fluid leaks | 3.1% | 0.3% |
| Steering | Play in the steering, power steering leaks | 2% | 1% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | Belts, buckles, airbag warning lights | 1% | 0.2% |
| Road Wheels | Damaged, cracked or loose wheels | 0.4% | 0.8% |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, Table 03 (initial failures by defect category), published on GOV.UK. A test can fail on more than one category, so the column doesn’t add up to the overall rate.
Since 2018 every defect has been graded minor, major or dangerous. A dangerous defect is a direct risk to road safety. It is against the law to drive the car until it is fixed. Tyres and brakes make up almost all dangerous defects. So a tyre advisory on a car’s latest MOT deserves more attention than its share of the total suggests.
Read the grade, not just the category
A minor defect, such as a small lamp fault, still lets the car pass; it should be fixed soon. A dangerous defect, such as a badly damaged tyre, fails the car. It is against the law to drive it until it is repaired. On a history check, the grade beside each item tells you which kind you are looking at.
MOT Wise reads 37 million MOT tests from 2025 on the 625 models with enough tests to rank. That’s out of 44 million tests in all. It also uses DVLA licensing records. Two views stand out. One is which models are still registered at ten years old, from the licensing records. The other, from the tests, is which models least often fail an MOT and then don’t pass within three days.
Still registered at ten years old
Share of each model's cars still registered (taxed or declared off the road) ten years after they were first registered. DVLA licensing data (VEH0124). Model-wide figures.
- Honda Jazz 98% · 37,816 cars
- Toyota Aygo 96% · 43,950 cars
- Volkswagen Tiguan 95.9% · 38,114 cars
- Fiat 500 95.7% · 90,921 cars
- Kia Picanto 95.7% · 28,969 cars
Fewest fails without a quick pass at seven years old
Share of 2025 MOT tests ending in a fail with no pass within three days, for cars built around 2018. DVSA MOT test data. Model-wide figures.
- Kia Venga 0.7% · 5,255 tests
- Honda Jazz 0.8% · 21,810 tests
- Volkswagen T-Roc 0.9% · 9,208 tests
- Toyota Prius 0.9% · 17,367 tests
- Skoda Karoq 1% · 8,548 tests
These are model-wide patterns, not judgements on any one car, and figures from fewer cars carry less weight. Browse all 63 makes on the car reliability pages, or read why fail rates rise with age.
A model with a strong record can still have a rough example. A model with a weak one can have a gem. The national figures tell you what to expect. The car’s own MOT history tells you what you are actually getting. Check both.