MOT Monitor 2024

Edition 1. Figures on GB MOT test failures, based on open DVSA data covering 1 January 2024 through 31 December 2024.

Of the vehicles aged 3-5 years tested in 2024, 13.7% received at least one initial failure item. For vehicles aged 15-19 years, that share is 42.9%. The full tables are below and are free to cite with attribution.

Initial failure rate by age group

Share of MOT tests with at least one initial failure item (retests excluded), by vehicle age at the time of test. Based on the full GB MOT fleet.

AgeTestsWith initial failureShare
3-5 years6,130,355841,81913.7%
6-8 years7,803,8461,594,93420.4%
9-11 years7,088,9302,106,16229.7%
12-14 years4,945,2581,879,02438.0%
15-19 years5,094,9162,185,52742.9%

Most common defect categories

Share of categorised failure items in this category, weighted across the 261 models Plateop tracks. This is a share of failure items, not the chance that a vehicle fails its MOT: a vehicle can fail for more than one reason at once.

CategoryWith initial failureTestsShare
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1,640,2736,561,12625.0%
Suspension1,206,7326,561,12618.4%
Brakes1,061,1416,561,12616.2%
Tyres848,6266,561,12612.9%
Visibility362,0616,561,1265.5%
Body, chassis, structure215,6366,561,1263.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks130,2336,561,1262.0%
Steering84,1926,561,1261.3%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3,5166,561,1260.1%
Identification of the vehicle9506,561,1260.0%
Road Wheels4696,561,1260.0%

Models with the lowest and highest failure shares

Per age group, the three models with the lowest and the highest initial failure rate. Only models with at least 1,500 tests in that age group are included; small counts produce flukes and are therefore excluded.

3-5 years

Lowest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Porsche 9112,0215.3%
Porsche Macan11,6236.6%
Porsche Cayenne6,6907.1%

Highest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Mercedes-Benz Citan1,82334.5%
Renault Kangoo5,35930.7%
Renault ZOE2,31129.5%

6-8 years

Lowest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Porsche 9115,7295.7%
Porsche Boxster2,2566.5%
Porsche Macan13,5129.2%

Highest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Renault Kangoo8,32040.3%
Citroen Berlingo39,55440.1%
Mercedes-Benz Citan10,25538.7%

9-11 years

Lowest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Porsche 9114,5416.4%
Porsche Cayman2,2747.5%
Porsche Boxster3,5448.2%

Highest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Renault Kangoo9,66048.9%
Peugeot 50085,74546.8%
Citroen DS344,44746.5%

12-14 years

Lowest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Porsche 9114,1269.0%
Porsche Cayenne2,87118.4%
Audi A72,81119.0%

Highest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Renault Trafic15,61553.5%
Chevrolet Captiva2,58253.2%
Renault Clio56,32452.9%

First MOT: the 2021 cohort

Vehicles first registered in 2021 reached the legal minimum age for their first MOT this test year. Among models with at least 1,000 tests in that cohort, the ten with the lowest and the ten with the highest initial failure rate:

Lowest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Porsche Macan3,3196.5%
Audi Q212,6366.9%
Mazda CX-301,9047.1%
Porsche Cayenne1,4527.2%
Honda Cr-V5,5577.6%
Peugeot 1084,1397.8%
KIA RIO2,2297.9%
Toyota RAV49,8277.9%
Mercedes-Benz GLC2,9648.3%
Toyota Aygo16,9118.5%

Highest failure share

ModelTestsShare
Citroen Berlingo5,36828.4%
Peugeot Partner8,03528.2%
Ford Galaxy1,32727.1%
Renault Kangoo1,12025.5%
Mercedes-Benz Vito2,85218.1%
Ford Ranger16,19417.1%
Peugeot 50081,01316.4%
Hyundai Tucson1,19416.1%
Dacia Duster6,01915.9%
Ford Ecosport4,44915.9%

Difference by fuel type

Initial failure rate per fuel type, within the same age group. Only compare within an age group: the fleet differs strongly in age per fuel type.

Fuel3-5 years6-8 years9-11 years12-14 years15-19 years
Anders28.7%29.9%
Benzine12.6%19.4%28.9%37.5%42.9%
Diesel17.3%22.1%30.8%38.8%43.1%
Elektrisch13.5%21.5%32.1%31.3%35.2%
Elektrisch/Diesel12.5%19.4%24.8%
Gas (bi-fuel)17.2%
Hybride10.9%15.6%20.9%27.9%32.6%
LPG37.5%40.8%37.8%

Method and definitions

  • Source: DVSA MOT test results, open data, test year 1 January 2024 through 31 December 2024.
  • A test counts as a test with an initial failure when at least one genuine defect was recorded on the FIRST test of that visit, DVSA's own initial test. A retest is never counted.
  • The fleet figures per age group come from the full GB MOT fleet, not filtered by make or model.
  • The category and model figures are measured across the 261 models from 28 makes that Plateop tracks (6,001 data cells). That is broad but not the entire fleet; the fleet figures above are the reference for that.
  • Models only qualify as outliers with at least 1,500 tests in the age group concerned. Age is the vehicle's age since its first registration date, not its year of manufacture: DVSA records a first use date, never a build year.
  • DVSA changed its defect category taxonomy in May 2018. This edition's category figures use only test results recorded under the taxonomy that applies to its own test year.
  • Editions are not changed after publication. This edition was compiled on 2 September 2026.

Year-on-year comparisons appear from the second frozen edition onward: every edition is frozen, so shifts can be demonstrated.

Using these figures

Free to cite with attribution; online, please include a link:

Source: Plateop MOT Monitor, plateop.com/pers

All editions and method