Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 7,657 tests

Pass rate climbs 2.1 points across the cohorts — newer Db11 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 3,436

Pass

96.2%

Fail

2.8%

PRS

0.6%

Avg mileage at test

24,026 mi

2018–2020 cohort 3,643

Pass

96.4%

Fail

2.4%

PRS

0.9%

Avg mileage at test

16,747 mi

2021+ cohort 578

Pass

98.3%

Fail

0.9%

PRS

0.3%

Avg mileage at test

10,446 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Db11: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,372 MOT tests, the Db11 returns 94.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Windscreen damage and windscreen washers not working round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 16,143, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 49–50

A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.

Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →

49–50

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A tyre seriously damaged

47 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
02

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

40 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
03

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

20 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
04

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

14 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
05

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

12 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
06

An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

12 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
07

Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction

10 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
08

Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

10 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
09

A tyre seriously damaged

6 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
10

A tyre cords visible or damaged

6 occurrences · 0.1% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures

£75–£130

If every one of this Db11's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.1-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Aston Martin Db11 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

98.3%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 98.3% — a 2.1-point improvement. Tests in this band average 10,446 miles — roughly 14K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

96.2%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 96.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 98.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and not working. Average mileage on test for this band is 24,026 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (98.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (96.2% pass). That's a 2.1-point spread across 3,436 older tests and 578 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Motor World

Motor World Aston Martin V8 Vantage 2005- Car Floor Mat Set

£32.99

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

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Recall history

4 UK recalls on record.

The Db11 has 4 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Db11?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a Db11 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.