Tyre cut at the MOT: which cars fail on it most
5.0% of failed initial MOT tests in 2025 recorded this defect: 460,126 of 9,185,328. By age, it was most common on vehicles under 3 years old (15.7%) and least common on vehicles 20 years old and over (2.3%).
It is one of the 10 most common MOT failures on 188 of the 332 car models we cover. Against vehicles of the same age, it was most common on the Polestar 2, the Mercedes-Benz SL and the BMW X5. On the Polestar 2, 40.4% of failed tests had it, against 16.6% for all vehicles of the same age.
The DVSA records it as “Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords”. A failed test can have several defects.
What the MOT checks
A cut in a tyre deep enough to reach the ply or cords. It fails if the ply or cords can be seen, whatever the size of the cut, or if the cut is more than 25mm or 10% of the tyre's section width, whichever is greater, and the cords can be felt.
The MOT inspection manual lists “A tyre with a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords” as a major defect, so the vehicle fails.
Car models where it is most common
| # | Car | Share of failed tests | Against same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polestar 21,588 failed tests | 40.4%641 tests | 2.4×all: 16.6% |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz SL1,282 failed tests | 7.0%90 tests | 2.4×all: 2.9% |
| 3 | BMW X517,778 failed tests | 13.8%2,451 tests | 2.4×all: 5.9% |
| 4 | BMW iX31,358 failed tests | 37.4%508 tests | 2.2×all: 17.1% |
| 5 | Audi A72,394 failed tests | 10.7%257 tests | 2.2×all: 4.9% |
| 6 | Porsche Cayenne3,436 failed tests | 12.9%443 tests | 2.1×all: 6.2% |
| 7 | Audi Q41,257 failed tests | 35.2%443 tests | 2.1×all: 16.8% |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz EQA974 failed tests | 34.4%335 tests | 2.1×all: 16.5% |
| 9 | BMW X61,736 failed tests | 11.4%198 tests | 2.1×all: 5.5% |
| 10 | Lexus IS6,863 failed tests | 7.1%485 tests | 2.0×all: 3.5% |
| 11 | BMW X119,665 failed tests | 12.0%2,350 tests | 2.0×all: 6.1% |
| 12 | Mercedes-Benz CLS4,504 failed tests | 8.1%364 tests | 1.9×all: 4.2% |
| 13 | BMW 6 Series3,650 failed tests | 8.2%300 tests | 1.9×all: 4.2% |
| 14 | Audi e-tron1,780 failed tests | 28.0%499 tests | 1.9×all: 14.5% |
| 15 | Jaguar I-Pace1,819 failed tests | 25.0%455 tests | 1.9×all: 13.1% |
Only models where this defect is one of their 10 most common MOT failures, with at least 50 failed tests, have a figure. So a model that isn't listed can still have it, just less often than its other faults. Vans, pick-ups and taxis are left out, as in our rankings. × is the model's share divided by the share for all vehicles of the same age.
How common it is by car age
- Under 3 years, first used 2023 to 202415.7% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages1,716 failed tests
- 3 to 5 years, first used 2020 to 202214.7% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages100,360 failed tests
- 6 to 9 years, first used 2016 to 20196.7% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages141,435 failed tests
- 10 to 14 years, first used 2011 to 20153.9% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages131,349 failed tests
- 15 to 19 years, first used 2006 to 20103.0% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages66,234 failed tests
- 20 years and over, first used 1985 to 20052.3% of failed tests, against 5.0% for all ages19,032 failed tests
All-vehicle figures cover vehicles first used from 1985 to 2024: 9,185,328 of the 9,193,164 failed initial tests in 2025.
How these figures are counted
These are failures recorded at initial MOT tests in 2025. Retests are not counted. A defect found on more than one wheel, lamp or joint at the same test counts once. "Same age" is the defect's share of failed tests for all vehicles first used in the same years, weighted by the model's own failed tests in each year.
An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. These figures show where a defect was recorded, not why, and not what a repair costs. Figures: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. What the MOT checks: MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles, GOV.UK, read 1 Nov 2026.
How we choose and rank these defectsOther tyres faults
- Tyre tread depth7.9% of failed tests
- Tyre cords exposed4.8% of failed tests
- Tyre pressure monitoring1.7% of failed tests
- Tyre bulge1.5% of failed tests
Share of all failed initial MOT tests in 2025.