Used cars with the lowest MOT pass rates for their age
These cars had the lowest first-time MOT pass rates among cars first used in the same year. A low rate is one signal, not a verdict on any particular car: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and the car you're looking at may be better or worse than its model's average.
About 3 years old: first used in 2022
| # | Car | Passed first time | Against the 2022 average |
|---|---|---|---|
| joint 1 | Ford Tourneo Custom3,632 tests · 33,900 miles | 76.7%±1.5 | −11.8 pts |
| joint 1 | Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace2,296 tests · 28,200 miles | 78.7%±1.8 | −9.8 pts |
| joint 3 | Ford Tourneo Connect2,055 tests · 20,300 miles | 80.7%±1.8 | −7.8 pts |
| joint 3 | Mercedes-Benz EQC5,439 tests · 29,100 miles | 81.9%±1.1 | −6.6 pts |
| joint 3 | Hyundai Bayon3,832 tests · 20,400 miles | 82.7%±1.3 | −5.8 pts |
| joint 3 | Dacia Jogger2,679 tests · 25,300 miles | 82.8%±1.5 | −5.7 pts |
| joint 3 | Land Rover Discovery Sport4,559 tests · 27,900 miles | 83.0%±1.2 | −5.5 pts |
| joint 3 | MG 58,250 tests · 36,900 miles | 83.1%±0.9 | −5.4 pts |
| joint 9 | BMW i46,442 tests · 31,400 miles | 83.6%±1.0 | −4.9 pts |
| joint 9 | Citroen C47,403 tests · 22,400 miles | 83.7%±0.9 | −4.8 pts |
About 5 years old: first used in 2020
| # | Car | Passed first time | Against the 2020 average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dacia Duster8,304 tests · 36,000 miles | 73.7%±1.0 | −12.3 pts |
| joint 2 | Dacia Sandero7,883 tests · 28,800 miles | 78.6%±1.0 | −7.4 pts |
| joint 2 | Ford Tourneo Custom2,573 tests · 54,900 miles | 78.7%±1.7 | −7.3 pts |
| joint 2 | MG 32,469 tests · 26,600 miles | 79.3%±1.7 | −6.7 pts |
| joint 2 | Ford Tourneo Connect2,150 tests · 33,400 miles | 79.5%±1.8 | −6.5 pts |
| joint 2 | Peugeot Rifter2,556 tests · 25,400 miles | 79.7%±1.7 | −6.3 pts |
| joint 7 | Peugeot 20813,263 tests · 30,500 miles | 81.0%±0.7 | −5.0 pts |
| joint 7 | Peugeot 50084,686 tests · 41,800 miles | 81.1%±1.2 | −4.9 pts |
| joint 7 | MG ZS12,474 tests · 34,400 miles | 81.1%±0.7 | −4.9 pts |
| joint 7 | Renault Kadjar7,968 tests · 35,200 miles | 81.6%±0.9 | −4.4 pts |
About 7 years old: first used in 2018
| # | Car | Passed first time | Against the 2018 average |
|---|---|---|---|
| joint 1 | Renault Clio19,731 tests · 45,000 miles | 68.7%±0.7 | −12.2 pts |
| joint 1 | Citroen C4 Grand Picasso3,175 tests · 62,100 miles | 69.1%±1.7 | −11.8 pts |
| joint 1 | Nissan Micra9,972 tests · 40,300 miles | 69.8%±1.0 | −11.1 pts |
| joint 1 | DS 33,433 tests · 43,600 miles | 69.8%±1.6 | −11.1 pts |
| joint 5 | Dacia Duster8,600 tests · 50,700 miles | 70.7%±1.0 | −10.2 pts |
| joint 5 | Vauxhall Mokka31,779 tests · 45,500 miles | 70.9%±0.6 | −10.0 pts |
| joint 5 | Dacia Sandero12,499 tests · 41,800 miles | 71.1%±0.9 | −9.8 pts |
| joint 5 | Citroen C4 Cactus5,369 tests · 48,900 miles | 71.1%±1.3 | −9.8 pts |
| joint 5 | Vauxhall Adam5,468 tests · 38,900 miles | 71.5%±1.3 | −9.4 pts |
| joint 5 | Ford Grand C-Max2,720 tests · 52,200 miles | 71.7%±1.8 | −9.2 pts |
About 10 years old: first used in 2015
| # | Car | Passed first time | Against the 2015 average |
|---|---|---|---|
| joint 1 | Vauxhall Antara2,022 tests · 76,600 miles | 54.5%±2.2 | −17.4 pts |
| joint 1 | Citroen DS38,273 tests · 67,700 miles | 55.5%±1.1 | −16.4 pts |
| joint 1 | Renault Clio23,929 tests · 67,200 miles | 55.6%±0.7 | −16.3 pts |
| joint 1 | Dacia Sandero14,205 tests · 65,400 miles | 55.8%±0.9 | −16.1 pts |
| joint 1 | DS 36,307 tests · 65,500 miles | 56.6%±1.3 | −15.3 pts |
| joint 1 | Renault Megane6,253 tests · 83,800 miles | 57.3%±1.3 | −14.6 pts |
| joint 7 | Dacia Duster5,661 tests · 77,200 miles | 60.8%±1.3 | −11.1 pts |
| joint 7 | Citroen C426,885 tests · 79,800 miles | 61.0%±0.6 | −10.9 pts |
| joint 7 | Fiat 500L2,976 tests · 66,200 miles | 62.4%±1.8 | −9.5 pts |
| joint 7 | Renault Scenic3,013 tests · 69,000 miles | 62.6%±1.8 | −9.3 pts |
About 15 years old: first used in 2010
| # | Car | Passed first time | Against the 2010 average |
|---|---|---|---|
| joint 1 | Nissan Qashqai27,757 tests · 115,700 miles | 46.3%±0.6 | −13.0 pts |
| joint 1 | Renault Clio21,275 tests · 85,800 miles | 46.5%±0.7 | −12.8 pts |
| joint 1 | Citroen C44,845 tests · 104,900 miles | 46.9%±1.5 | −12.4 pts |
| joint 1 | Peugeot 30086,703 tests · 107,500 miles | 46.9%±1.2 | −12.4 pts |
| joint 1 | Renault Grand Scenic3,411 tests · 115,100 miles | 48.2%±1.7 | −11.1 pts |
| joint 6 | Renault Megane13,144 tests · 104,800 miles | 48.7%±0.9 | −10.6 pts |
| joint 6 | Peugeot 20722,158 tests · 86,100 miles | 49.8%±0.7 | −9.5 pts |
| joint 6 | Citroen DS33,382 tests · 98,800 miles | 50.7%±1.7 | −8.6 pts |
| joint 9 | Volkswagen Fox6,849 tests · 76,500 miles | 51.0%±1.2 | −8.3 pts |
| joint 9 | Kia Ceed6,989 tests · 101,200 miles | 51.3%±1.2 | −8.0 pts |
How the tables work
- Each table compares cars first used in the same year, all at their 2025 MOT test. Ages are never mixed.
- The rate is the first-time pass rate: initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Retests aren't counted.
- A car needs at least 2,000 tests from that first-use year. ± is the 95% margin of error (Wilson interval); the widest on this page is ±2.2 points.
- Cars that can't be told apart share a number, shown with "=". A car shares the number of the first car in its group when their 95% ranges overlap.
- "Against the average" compares with all class 4 vehicles first used in that year, including small vans.
- Vans, pick-ups and taxis are left out of the tables, as are people carriers that share a van's model name, such as the Citroen Berlingo.
- Cars that cover fewer miles tend to pass more often, so each row shows the median mileage at the test.
- An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day. A pass rate is one signal, not a measure of breakdowns, repair costs or how long a car lasts.
429,696 tests behind the cars shown. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. How we count
Questions
Which used cars have the lowest MOT pass rates?
It depends on age, so we compare each age separately. The lowest first-time pass rates in 2025 MOT tests were: cars first used in 2022, Ford Tourneo Custom and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, too close to separate (76.7% to 78.7%, against 88.5% for all); cars first used in 2020, the Dacia Duster (73.7%, against 86.0% for all); cars first used in 2018, Renault Clio, Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, Nissan Micra and 1 others, too close to separate (68.7% to 69.8%, against 80.9% for all); cars first used in 2015, Vauxhall Antara, Citroen DS3, Renault Clio and 3 others, too close to separate (54.5% to 57.3%, against 71.9% for all); cars first used in 2010, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Clio, Citroen C4 and 2 others, too close to separate (46.3% to 48.2%, against 59.3% for all).
Does a low MOT pass rate mean I shouldn't buy one?
Not on its own. A pass rate describes all the tests on a model, not the car in front of you. It also reflects mileage and how cars were looked after, and it doesn't record breakdowns or repair costs. Read the car's own MOT history and have it inspected before you decide.
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