Aston Martin
4,143 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Vanquishs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 17.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.6%
Pass-after-fix
0.3%
Fail
4.4%
Avg miles
22,589
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 4,143 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.5 points across the cohorts — newer Vanquish examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
94.4%
Fail
4.5%
PRS
0.3%
Avg mileage at test
23,538 mi
Pass
96.9%
Fail
2.3%
PRS
0.8%
Avg mileage at test
8,648 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,763 MOT tests, the Vanquish returns 91.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. A missing suspension dust cover and a missing suspension dust cover round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 21,551, 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
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 →
46–50
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Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
31 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
28 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
25 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
23 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
19 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
19 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
16 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
14 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
14 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
13 occurrences · 0.3% 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 4 failures
£180–£640
If every one of this Vanquish'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.5-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Aston Martin Vanquish makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
96.9%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 96.9% — a 2.5-point improvement. Tests in this band average 8,648 miles — roughly 15K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, with a multiple light source up to… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
94.4%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 94.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 96.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, and projected beam image is obviously incorrect. Average mileage on test for this band is 23,538 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (96.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (94.4% pass). That's a 2.5-point spread across 3,882 older tests and 261 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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Recall history
The Vanquish has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
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 Vanquish 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.
