Tesla Model Y years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

34,378 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2022–2023 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Tesla Model Y years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2022. None is clearly above it. The other year can't be told apart from average.

Below the average for their first-use year2022
Above the average for their first-use yearNone
Can't be told apart from average2023

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

84.2%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 83.9% to 84.6%.

Tesla Model Y, all years84.2%
Same-age average, all vehicles88.7%

In 2025, 84.2% of the 34,378 initial MOT tests on Tesla Model Y cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 88.7%. That is 4.4 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific Model Y

Its own MOT history, free.

Tesla Model Y MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

Year	Chart	Testsmedian miles	Passed first time	Against all vehicles that year
2023age 2		1,90249,800	91.2%±1.4	−0.4 ptsall: 91.6%
2022age 3		32,47632,800	83.8%±0.5	−4.7 ptsall: 88.5%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Does mileage matter?

Tesla Model Y first-time pass rates by the mileage at the initial test, all years together, against all vehicles of the same age and mileage.

88.0% of Tesla Model Y tests under 30,000 miles passed first time, against 80.1% at 60,000 to 89,999 miles. For all vehicles of the same age and mileage, the figures are 91.1% and 80.6%.

Miles at the test	Tests	Passed first time	Against all vehicles, same age and mileage
Under 30,000	14,255	88.0%±0.6	−3.1 ptsall: 91.1%
30,000–59,999	16,472	81.7%±0.6	−3.2 ptsall: 84.9%
60,000–89,999	2,938	80.1%±1.5	−0.5 ptsall: 80.6%

Against all vehicles of the same age and mileage, Model Y tests were below average under 60,000 miles and about average at 60,000 to 89,999 miles.

Mileage is only one factor. How a car has been driven and looked after matters too. These figures show an association across all Tesla Model Y tests in 2025, not what mileage does to a particular car.

Mileage is the odometer reading at the initial test. Each band is compared with all vehicles first used in the same year with a reading in the same band, weighted by this model's own tests in each year. Bands need at least 1,000 tests. Not shown, with fewer than 1,000 tests: 90,000–119,999 and 120,000 or more. 17 tests (under 0.1%) had no usable odometer reading and are left out. How we count

Common Model Y problems at the MOT

Share of the 5,417 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

Tyres75.1%
Suspension13.3%
Lights and electrics9.2%

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Model Y

Based on the areas where Tesla Model Y MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

Tyres
In 75.1% of failed Model Y tests
- Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
- Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
- Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.
Suspension
In 13.3% of failed Model Y tests
- Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
- On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
- The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.
Lights and electrics
In 9.2% of failed Model Y tests
- Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
- Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
- Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Model Y's MOT history

Tesla Model Y questions

Which Tesla Model Y years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2022. None is clearly above average. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Tesla Model Y reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 84.2% of initial MOT tests on Tesla Model Y cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 88.7%. That is 4.4 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Tesla Model Y problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are tyres (in 75.1% of failed tests), suspension (in 13.3% of failed tests) and lights and electrics (in 9.2% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 3-year-old Tesla Model Y?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Tesla Model Y cars first used in 2022, about 3 years old, had a median of 32,800 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Model Y's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Tesla Model Y

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checks What MOT history doesn't show

Other Tesla models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

Cars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Tesla Model Y cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count