The picture
A2: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 9,817 MOT tests, the A2 returns 65.7% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. Windscreen damage and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 128,474, 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.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
667 occurrences · 6.8% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
633 occurrences · 6.4% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
628 occurrences · 6.4% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
595 occurrences · 6.1% of tests
- 05
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
474 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 06
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
452 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 07
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
441 occurrences · 4.5% of tests
- 08
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
329 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 09
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
328 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
295 occurrences · 3.0% 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 3 failures
£168–£515
If every one of this A2'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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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.
Buying or keeping a A2?
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 A2 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.