Bad Drivers UK data study
MOT failure rates by car model
We took every first MOT test of a car or small van in Great Britain in 2025, 31.4 million of them, and ranked 208 car models on how often they fail. Not the raw failure rate, which mostly tells you how old a model's cars are, but the rate against an average car of exactly the same age. On that measure the Porsche 911 fails least and the Citroen C4 Cactus fails most.
31.4m
MOT tests analysed
first tests in 2025, cars aged 3 to 20
208
car models ranked
each with 20,000+ tests
27.3%
failed first time
across every car tested
11% to 41%
age 3 vs age 15
why age has to be adjusted for
The cars least and most likely to fail
Percentages show how far each model sits from an average car with the same mix of ages. Minus 40% means it failed 40% less often than you would expect for cars that old.
Least likely to fail
- 1Porsche 911-74%
- 2Porsche Macan-51%
- 3Lexus NX-48%
- 4Porsche Cayenne-46%
- 5Mercedes-Benz S-Class-45%
- 6Lexus CT-39%
- 7Honda HR-V-38%
- 8Jaguar I-Pace-38%
- 9BMW Z4-38%
- 10Audi Q2-38%
Most likely to fail
- 1Citroen C4 Cactus+51%
- 2DS DS3+50%
- 3Dacia Duster+47%
- 4Dacia Sandero+44%
- 5Citroen DS3+42%
- 6Tesla Model Y+41%
- 7Renault Clio+41%
- 8Peugeot 5008+36%
- 9Vauxhall Mokka+34%
- 10Citroen C4+33%
Why a raw failure rate misleads
Age is the biggest single driver of MOT failure. A three year old car fails 11.4% of the time; a fifteen year old car 40.7%. A model that stopped production a decade ago will look terrible on raw numbers and a model launched three years ago will look superb, whatever their quality. So every comparison on these pages weights the national failure rate at each age by how many of that model were tested at that age.
Age of car at its MOT, in years
Every car model, ranked
208 models covering 26,317,846 tests. Open any model for its most common failures, the advisories to look for, and the best and worst years to buy.
208 models
| Rank | Model | Tests | Failed | vs same age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche 911 | 34,056 | 8.0% | -73% |
| 2 | Porsche Macan | 34,864 | 9.3% | -51% |
| 3 | Lexus NX | 31,619 | 9.8% | -48% |
| 4 | Porsche Cayenne | 30,252 | 14.3% | -46% |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 22,917 | 15.4% | -45% |
| 6 | Lexus CT | 30,943 | 17.4% | -39% |
| 7 | Honda HR-V | 37,026 | 11.8% | -38% |
| 8 | Jaguar I-Pace | 22,471 | 8.5% | -38% |
| 9 | BMW Z4 | 29,855 | 20.8% | -38% |
| 10 | Audi Q2 | 84,426 | 9.9% | -38% |
| 11 | Volkswagen T-Roc | 92,116 | 9.3% | -37% |
| 12 | BMW 6 Series | 20,146 | 20.1% | -36% |
| 13 | Audi TT | 96,082 | 20.6% | -34% |
| 14 | Mazda MX-5 | 66,055 | 21.7% | -34% |
| 15 | Audi Q7 | 49,892 | 17.3% | -33% |
| 16 | Ford Puma | 89,712 | 8.5% | -33% |
| 17 | Mazda CX-30 | 20,633 | 8.7% | -32% |
| 18 | Range Rover | 77,435 | 19.6% | -32% |
| 19 | BMW 5 Series | 192,440 | 19.6% | -31% |
| 20 | Audi A6 | 119,461 | 20.1% | -30% |
| 21 | Audi Q5 | 117,646 | 16.3% | -30% |
| 22 | BMW X5 | 87,759 | 18.7% | -29% |
| 23 | Mercedes-Benz ML | 25,977 | 26.1% | -29% |
| 24 | Mercedes-Benz GLE | 33,026 | 12.9% | -28% |
| 25 | Volvo XC40 | 88,016 | 10.0% | -28% |
| 26 | Range Rover Sport | 123,976 | 19.3% | -28% |
| 27 | BMW i3 | 26,184 | 13.1% | -28% |
| 28 | Mini Countryman | 113,566 | 16.9% | -28% |
| 29 | SEAT Ateca | 51,705 | 12.2% | -28% |
| 30 | Suzuki Celerio | 27,263 | 17.1% | -28% |
| 31 | Skoda Karoq | 60,668 | 11.1% | -27% |
| 32 | Mercedes-Benz SLK | 42,227 | 27.4% | -26% |
| 33 | BMW 4 Series | 108,380 | 16.6% | -26% |
| 34 | BMW X1 | 112,196 | 17.6% | -24% |
| 35 | Honda CR-V | 180,248 | 23.8% | -24% |
| 36 | Land Rover Defender | 70,636 | 22.1% | -24% |
| 37 | Toyota Prius | 157,249 | 21.4% | -24% |
| 38 | Volkswagen Up | 127,293 | 20.5% | -24% |
| 39 | Mercedes-Benz GLC | 83,694 | 13.7% | -24% |
| 40 | Range Rover Evoque | 191,490 | 17.7% | -23% |
| 41 | Jaguar E-Pace | 32,392 | 12.7% | -22% |
| 42 | Honda Jazz | 323,015 | 24.6% | -22% |
| 43 | BMW X3 | 106,562 | 18.8% | -22% |
| 44 | Audi Q3 | 140,553 | 17.6% | -22% |
| 45 | BMW 3 Series | 426,117 | 23.5% | -22% |
| 46 | Toyota RAV4 | 116,254 | 20.2% | -22% |
| 47 | Mercedes-Benz CLS | 22,392 | 25.4% | -21% |
| 48 | Suzuki Vitara | 70,689 | 15.2% | -21% |
| 49 | Mazda CX-3 | 25,299 | 16.5% | -21% |
| 50 | Volkswagen Touareg | 36,073 | 22.5% | -20% |
| 51 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 219,473 | 22.3% | -20% |
| 52 | Skoda Kodiaq | 43,953 | 12.8% | -19% |
| 53 | Peugeot 108 | 77,108 | 18.8% | -19% |
| 54 | Audi A5 | 126,156 | 22.6% | -19% |
| 55 | Land Rover Discovery | 124,019 | 23.3% | -19% |
| 56 | Kia Stonic | 32,469 | 12.3% | -19% |
| 57 | BMW 2 Series | 131,187 | 16.5% | -19% |
| 58 | Jaguar XF | 93,387 | 25.6% | -19% |
| 59 | Mini Cooper | 631,654 | 22.7% | -18% |
| 60 | Volkswagen Golf | 817,043 | 23.9% | -18% |
| 61 | Skoda Citigo | 52,097 | 22.0% | -18% |
| 62 | Audi A3 | 413,536 | 23.9% | -17% |
| 63 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 254,659 | 18.6% | -17% |
| 64 | Jaguar F-Pace | 58,493 | 14.9% | -17% |
| 65 | Volvo XC60 | 118,802 | 19.9% | -17% |
| 66 | Volkswagen T-Cross | 30,829 | 11.4% | -16% |
| 67 | BMW 1 Series | 382,414 | 24.0% | -16% |
| 68 | Jaguar XE | 42,899 | 19.0% | -15% |
| 69 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 343,026 | 24.8% | -15% |
| 70 | Volvo V70 | 27,107 | 33.1% | -15% |
| 71 | Mercedes-Benz GLA | 91,170 | 16.8% | -14% |
| 72 | Toyota Corolla | 102,848 | 18.6% | -14% |
| 73 | Saab 9-3 | 27,048 | 36.3% | -14% |
| 74 | Skoda Yeti | 74,816 | 26.1% | -13% |
| 75 | Smart Fortwo | 49,409 | 28.7% | -13% |
| 76 | Audi A4 | 230,864 | 26.4% | -13% |
| 77 | Hyundai Ioniq | 48,896 | 13.8% | -13% |
| 78 | Land Rover Freelander | 101,133 | 34.0% | -12% |
| 79 | Skoda Kamiq | 23,995 | 11.2% | -12% |
| 80 | Suzuki Ignis | 28,848 | 17.0% | -12% |
| 81 | Toyota Auris | 148,660 | 28.1% | -12% |
| 82 | Volkswagen ID3 | 25,645 | 11.1% | -12% |
| 83 | Mini Clubman | 28,099 | 21.1% | -11% |
| 84 | Toyota C-HR | 102,166 | 14.1% | -11% |
| 85 | Toyota Aygo | 269,017 | 24.2% | -11% |
| 86 | Kia Niro | 98,932 | 12.6% | -11% |
| 87 | Ford Kuga | 310,648 | 20.6% | -10% |
| 88 | Skoda Octavia | 196,049 | 24.0% | -10% |
| 89 | Toyota Yaris | 421,689 | 26.1% | -10% |
| 90 | Volvo XC90 | 72,495 | 23.5% | -10% |
| 91 | BMW X2 | 21,225 | 14.0% | -9% |
| 92 | Mercedes-Benz B-Class | 71,029 | 27.4% | -9% |
| 93 | Volkswagen Passat | 168,011 | 28.0% | -9% |
| 94 | Toyota Avensis | 49,491 | 33.7% | -8% |
| 95 | Volvo V60 | 41,158 | 22.5% | -8% |
| 96 | Land Rover Discovery Sport | 113,821 | 19.0% | -8% |
| 97 | Volkswagen Sharan | 34,269 | 23.8% | -8% |
| 98 | Mazda CX-5 | 72,338 | 19.6% | -8% |
| 99 | Mitsubishi ASX | 28,733 | 25.5% | -7% |
| 100 | Toyota Verso | 26,960 | 30.3% | -7% |
| 101 | Vauxhall Viva | 38,090 | 21.4% | -6% |
| 102 | SEAT Leon | 181,023 | 24.0% | -6% |
| 103 | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 359,600 | 21.5% | -6% |
| 104 | Hyundai Tucson | 166,472 | 17.0% | -6% |
| 105 | Skoda Superb | 64,619 | 22.5% | -5% |
| 106 | Volkswagen Scirocco | 45,187 | 31.6% | -5% |
| 107 | Audi A1 | 234,827 | 23.7% | -5% |
| 108 | Range Rover Velar | 36,970 | 15.6% | -5% |
| 109 | SEAT Alhambra | 25,443 | 25.1% | -4% |
| 110 | Kia Xceed | 24,591 | 12.3% | -4% |
| 111 | Honda Civic | 229,539 | 31.6% | -4% |
| 112 | Hyundai i10 | 250,280 | 27.5% | -4% |
| 113 | Volkswagen Touran | 66,736 | 31.8% | -4% |
| 114 | Mitsubishi Outlander | 75,178 | 23.7% | -3% |
| 115 | Ford Mondeo | 163,539 | 32.3% | -3% |
| 116 | Suzuki SX4 | 42,456 | 28.2% | average |
| 117 | Citroen C1 | 162,793 | 31.1% | average |
| 118 | Suzuki Swift | 134,483 | 27.7% | average |
| 119 | MG HS | 30,311 | 11.9% | average |
| 120 | Skoda Fabia | 220,281 | 28.8% | average |
| 121 | Suzuki Alto | 44,447 | 35.0% | average |
| 122 | Hyundai i20 | 132,691 | 27.4% | average |
| 123 | Citroen C3 Aircross | 35,536 | 15.4% | average |
| 124 | Hyundai Kona | 61,500 | 13.8% | average |
| 125 | Kia Venga | 46,382 | 29.0% | average |
| 126 | Kia Soul | 24,755 | 29.5% | average |
| 127 | Ford Fusion | 39,666 | 41.6% | average |
| 128 | Peugeot 107 | 107,108 | 38.8% | average |
| 129 | Mazda 2 | 125,114 | 30.4% | average |
| 130 | Ford C-Max | 114,748 | 33.4% | average |
| 131 | Mercedes-Benz CLA | 73,975 | 19.4% | average |
| 132 | Mazda 6 | 56,034 | 30.7% | average |
| 133 | Vauxhall Agila | 29,510 | 39.3% | average |
| 134 | Skoda Rapid | 21,480 | 27.4% | average |
| 135 | Ford Ka | 165,490 | 33.3% | +3% |
| 136 | Nissan Note | 146,829 | 36.9% | +3% |
| 137 | Kia Sportage | 299,477 | 23.0% | +3% |
| 138 | Ford Focus | 851,102 | 31.4% | +3% |
| 139 | Volvo C30 | 20,616 | 41.6% | +3% |
| 140 | SEAT Arona | 56,484 | 15.8% | +4% |
| 141 | Kia Picanto | 188,170 | 28.5% | +4% |
| 142 | Kia Rio | 98,898 | 29.7% | +4% |
| 143 | Mazda 3 | 104,175 | 31.2% | +4% |
| 144 | Vauxhall Astra | 560,910 | 33.9% | +5% |
| 145 | Fiat Panda | 82,439 | 35.5% | +5% |
| 146 | Kia Sorento | 35,561 | 28.5% | +5% |
| 147 | Vauxhall Grandland | 74,495 | 16.4% | +6% |
| 148 | Hyundai ix20 | 28,752 | 30.8% | +6% |
| 149 | Vauxhall Crossland | 79,095 | 15.9% | +6% |
| 150 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 32,026 | 31.4% | +7% |
| 151 | Volvo V40 | 94,591 | 27.8% | +7% |
| 152 | Nissan Leaf | 52,897 | 19.8% | +7% |
| 153 | Nissan Micra | 205,041 | 35.0% | +8% |
| 154 | Ford B-Max | 53,637 | 32.1% | +8% |
| 155 | Ford S-Max | 67,870 | 35.4% | +8% |
| 156 | Vauxhall Meriva | 79,632 | 38.3% | +8% |
| 157 | Vauxhall Insignia | 180,896 | 32.6% | +9% |
| 158 | Hyundai ix35 | 49,770 | 36.2% | +9% |
| 159 | Volvo V50 | 25,502 | 44.8% | +9% |
| 160 | Renault Captur | 162,091 | 24.0% | +10% |
| 161 | Volkswagen Polo | 598,636 | 31.7% | +10% |
| 162 | Alfa Romeo Giulietta | 24,485 | 34.5% | +10% |
| 163 | Vauxhall Zafira | 168,050 | 38.2% | +12% |
| 164 | Volkswagen Beetle | 32,251 | 39.5% | +12% |
| 165 | Ford Fiesta | 1,317,082 | 34.1% | +13% |
| 166 | Fiat 500 | 339,637 | 32.2% | +13% |
| 167 | Smart Forfour | 22,942 | 28.1% | +13% |
| 168 | Kia Ceed | 122,179 | 31.9% | +14% |
| 169 | Nissan X-Trail | 85,234 | 30.1% | +14% |
| 170 | Ford Galaxy | 53,317 | 35.4% | +15% |
| 171 | Hyundai i30 | 101,997 | 35.4% | +16% |
| 172 | Nissan Pulsar | 20,803 | 29.3% | +16% |
| 173 | Renault Twingo | 23,628 | 38.6% | +16% |
| 174 | Tesla Model 3 | 86,641 | 15.6% | +18% |
| 175 | Fiat Punto | 52,919 | 45.0% | +18% |
| 176 | Nissan Juke | 326,524 | 30.3% | +18% |
| 177 | Volkswagen Fox | 23,315 | 49.3% | +19% |
| 178 | Ford Grand C-Max | 34,570 | 34.8% | +19% |
| 179 | Ford Ecosport | 110,907 | 22.9% | +19% |
| 180 | Citroen C3 | 183,814 | 34.5% | +19% |
| 181 | Nissan Qashqai | 598,162 | 31.1% | +19% |
| 182 | SEAT Ibiza | 187,432 | 33.9% | +20% |
| 183 | Peugeot 308 | 125,924 | 35.7% | +20% |
| 184 | Peugeot 208 | 218,876 | 29.6% | +22% |
| 185 | Vauxhall Corsa | 874,895 | 35.2% | +22% |
| 186 | Fiat 500X | 36,657 | 27.3% | +22% |
| 187 | Renault Scenic | 30,633 | 44.0% | +22% |
| 188 | Peugeot 3008 | 143,758 | 28.8% | +22% |
| 189 | Peugeot 207 | 112,674 | 49.8% | +23% |
| 190 | Jeep Renegade | 29,283 | 27.5% | +23% |
| 191 | Peugeot 2008 | 144,579 | 26.0% | +26% |
| 192 | Fiat 500L | 20,937 | 38.8% | +28% |
| 193 | MG ZS | 60,818 | 17.7% | +28% |
| 194 | Renault Kadjar | 69,280 | 26.4% | +29% |
| 195 | Vauxhall Adam | 58,762 | 34.3% | +29% |
| 196 | Renault Megane | 88,550 | 44.7% | +31% |
| 197 | MG 3 | 24,672 | 25.0% | +31% |
| 198 | Renault Zoe | 26,997 | 21.3% | +31% |
| 199 | Citroen C4 | 128,907 | 39.6% | +33% |
| 200 | Vauxhall Mokka | 252,609 | 30.9% | +34% |
| 201 | Peugeot 5008 | 36,991 | 28.7% | +36% |
| 202 | Renault Clio | 290,488 | 42.9% | +41% |
| 203 | Tesla Model Y | 32,483 | 16.2% | +41% |
| 204 | Citroen DS3 | 68,172 | 48.2% | +42% |
| 205 | Dacia Sandero | 117,375 | 31.0% | +44% |
| 206 | Dacia Duster | 81,424 | 29.0% | +47% |
| 207 | DS DS3 | 33,864 | 34.1% | +50% |
| 208 | Citroen C4 Cactus | 21,184 | 30.1% | +51% |
Vans and pickups
Working vans cover more miles and carry more weight than private cars, so they are ranked separately. Only versions tested as class 4, up to 3,000kg, are included.
- Fiat Ducato22.5% failed
- Peugeot Boxer23.8% failed
- Volkswagen Transporter29.2% failed
- Volkswagen Caddy31.5% failed
- Mitsubishi L20030.6% failed
- Mercedes-Benz Vito32.5% failed
- Toyota Hilux29.1% failed
- Fiat Doblo36.5% failed
- Ford Transit37.5% failed
- Ford Transit Connect33.0% failed
- Ford Ranger27.1% failed
- Nissan Navara32.9% failed
- Peugeot Expert32.2% failed
- Isuzu D-Max29.1% failed
- Renault Kangoo45.2% failed
- Peugeot Partner37.3% failed
- Vauxhall Combo37.5% failed
- Renault Trafic40.5% failed
- Vauxhall Vivaro41.7% failed
- Citroen Berlingo40.6% failed
- Nissan NV20044.8% failed
- Ford Transit Custom22.8% failed
- Citroen Dispatch39.6% failed
- Ford Transit Courier29.5% failed
Method, and what this does not prove
Source data is the DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results release for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We kept class 4 vehicles, which is cars and small vans, first tests only so a car that fails and is retested counts once, and cars aged 3 to 20 at the test date. A failure includes faults put right and passed within the same visit, which is how DVSA reports its own initial failure rate.
Make and model are free text in the test record, so we fold trim levels and engine codes into the model people search for: a 118d and a 120i are both a BMW 1 Series. A model needs at least 20,000 tests to be ranked. Failure items are the individual defects a tester recorded at fail level, grouped into the areas of the MOT inspection manual.
What the figures cannot tell you:
- Owners differ. Cars bought by careful, well off owners and serviced at main dealers will fail less, and that is part of what these figures measure, not just engineering.
- Mileage is not adjusted for. Models that cover big distances, such as diesel estates and taxis, wear faster.
- A model average says nothing about one particular car. Its own MOT history does.
Region matters too: winter road salt drives corrosion failures far higher in Scotland and the north. That is the subject of our regional MOT failure study.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Free to reuse with attribution to Bad Drivers UK and a link to this page.
Charts you can use
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Looking at one particular car?
A model average is a starting point. The car's own MOT history shows every failure and advisory it has had and every recorded mileage, and it is free to view by registration.
Check a registration