Annual report · 2024 record
64,178,159 MOTs analysed.
Every UK make-model that recorded meaningful test volume in 2024 — 1,984 models, 98 brands, ranked by pass rate, failure type, fuel, and bucket. Use the embed buttons under each chart to drop the figures straight into your own coverage.
Pass
77.5%
Fail
17.5%
PRS
4.4%
How the UK fleet performed.
Headline pass rate is calculated across every test in the public UK MOT record where the tested vehicle maps to one of our 1,984 tracked models. Fail rate excludes pass-after-rectification (PRS): cars that arrived with a Major defect but left with a pass after the tester accepted an in-bay fix.
Total tests
64,178,159
Passes
49,740,597
Fails
11,200,571
Models tracked
1,984
Where do UK models actually land?
Pass-rate distribution across the tracked fleet (≥1,000 tests). Most UK cars cluster in the 70–85% band; the long tail below 60% is dominated by older diesels and high-mileage commercial variants.
7
<60%
192
60-69%
193
70-74%
206
75-79%
213
80-84%
543
85-89%
630
90%+
Source: MOTCost · 2024 UK MOT record · 1,984 tracked models
Britain's most-tested brands.
Volume and weighted pass rate per brand. Ford runs away with the volume crown — 8.8M tests in 2024 alone — but pass rate doesn't track volume, which is the interesting story for buyers.
- 01 Ford 8,769,353 74.4%
- 02 Volkswagen 5,940,262 77.9%
- 03 Vauxhall 5,499,600 72.7%
- 04 BMW 4,080,417 83.8%
- 05 Mercedes Benz 3,914,181 81.2%
- 06 Audi 3,476,332 83.1%
- 07 Nissan 3,004,830 74.5%
- 08 Toyota 2,911,986 78.3%
- 09 Peugeot 2,670,526 72.5%
- 10 Land Rover 2,231,207 82.8%
- 11 Renault 1,972,126 70.8%
- 12 Citroen 1,909,494 70.6%
What actually fails the MOT.
Top defect codes in 2024 by raw fail count. Number-plate lamps and minor lighting consistently top the chart — the cheapest fixes go uncaught most often. Suspension and tyre tread pull through as the next-biggest cost categories.
- 01 A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources Lights & lamps 858 models affected 1,514,421
- 02 Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view Glass & mirrors 1714 models affected 1,376,718
- 03 Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements Tyres & wheels 1484 models affected 1,131,791
- 04 A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened Suspension 385 models affected 777,605
- 05 A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning Lights & lamps 588 models affected 739,781
- 06 A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated Exhaust & emissions 604 models affected 696,706
- 07 a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm Brakes 1141 models affected 682,348
- 08 Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen Glass & mirrors 1327 models affected 613,214
- 09 A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn Suspension 448 models affected 536,592
- 10 A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn Suspension 397 models affected 501,048
UK fuel mix at the test bay.
Petrol still leads volume; the diesel share is narrower than the average buyer assumes. Hybrid and electric combined now sit at 4.5% of UK MOTs — a fivefold rise on the 2018 baseline.
Petrol
32,599,826
50.8%
Diesel
28,558,866
44.5%
Hybrid Electric (Clean)
2,168,529
3.4%
Electric
713,809
1.1%
Electric Diesel
108,360
0.2%
Liquefied Petrolum Gas (LPG)
13,583
0.0%
The 10 models running Britain.
Most-tested UK models by raw 2024 volume. The Ford Fiesta sits comfortably above 2.4M tests — more than the entire next two combined. Pass rate doesn't follow volume: the Golf clears 78% while the Astra hovers near 72%.
- 01 Ford Fiesta 2,488,311 72.3%
- 02 Ford Focus 1,667,364 74.2%
- 03 Volkswagen Golf 1,593,075 78.6%
- 04 Vauxhall Corsa 1,531,302 70.8%
- 05 Vauxhall Astra 1,150,896 72.5%
- 06 Volkswagen Polo 1,133,725 73.5%
- 07 Ford Transit 1,121,832 69.3%
- 08 Nissan Qashqai 1,004,500 75.4%
- 09 BMW 3 Series 811,923 78.7%
- 10 Audi A3 784,385 80.1%
Methodology
Pass rate is first-time pass only — pass-after-rectification (PRS) is reported separately so a brand can't game the headline by fixing the car in the bay. Average mileage is bounded between 1 and 500,000 miles to filter implausible readings. Failure rankings exclude Advisory items because an advisory note is not a rejection. Pass-rate buckets restrict to models with ≥1,000 tests to avoid small-sample noise.
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