MOT pass rates 2025: the models that pass most and least

The DVSA publishes anonymised results for every MOT test carried out in Great Britain, and the 2025 figures show a clear spread in how often different cars pass first time. We looked at every ordinary car test (excluding retests, so a car that failed then passed later is not double-counted) and ranked makes and models with at least 1,000 tests in the year, so the figures reflect a genuine sample rather than a handful of cars.

Highest first-time pass rates. FERRARI 488, PEUGEOT EXPERT S L1 EV, LEXUS NX 350H CVT, SUZUKI IGNIS SZ5 DUALJET MHEV, TOYOTA YARIS CROSS EXCEL HEV AUTO recorded the strongest results, led by the FERRARI 488 at 98.2% across 1,059 tests.

Lowest first-time pass rates. CHEVROLET KALOS, PEUGEOT 307, RENAULT GRAND MODUS, MITSUBISHI COLT, RENAULT MODUS recorded the weakest results among models with a large enough sample, led by the CHEVROLET KALOS at 51.6%.

By manufacturer. Looking at whole makes rather than individual models, FERRARI, LEVC, ROLLS ROYCE, ASTON MARTIN, BENTLEY posted the highest overall pass rates, while TALBOT, CHEVROLET, CHRYSLER, DAIHATSU, CHRYSLER-JEEP posted the lowest, among makes with at least 5,000 tests in the year.

Pass rate by vehicle age. 0-3 years: 91.4% pass (1,436,448 tests) 4-6 years: 88.1% pass (3,789,028 tests) 7-9 years: 81.2% pass (4,822,553 tests) 10-12 years: 72.8% pass (4,324,636 tests) 13-15 years: 66.0% pass (2,809,478 tests) 16+ years: 73.1% pass (14,275,482 tests)

As cars get older, wear on brakes, tyres, suspension and emissions components makes a first-time pass progressively less likely, which the figures bear out through the middle age bands. The oldest band bucks the trend and recovers to 73.1%: a car that has survived beyond 13 years without being scrapped has usually been looked after, so the cars still being tested at that age are a stronger-than-average sample, not a typical one.

What this does and does not show. A model's pass rate reflects the condition of the cars actually presented for test in 2025, which is shaped by how well the model is built, how it is used and maintained, and the age profile of the cars on the road, not by the model alone. A small, newer sample can flatter a model; that is why only makes and models with a substantial number of tests are named here. This is not a comprehensive reliability index and should not be read as a claim that any named model is unsafe.

About the data. Figures are drawn from the DVSA's anonymised MOT test result data, published under the Open Government Licence, covering standard car (class 4) tests carried out in 2025, first attempts only. This is general information, not advice. For a professional check before buying a used car, you can book an inspection with a trusted garage on Garage.co.uk.