Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 10,745 tests

Pass rate climbs 1.2 points across the cohorts — newer Continental GT examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 4,686

Pass

96.2%

Fail

2.5%

PRS

0.8%

Avg mileage at test

29,381 mi

2018–2020 cohort 5,902

Pass

96.4%

Fail

2.5%

PRS

0.8%

Avg mileage at test

20,761 mi

2021+ cohort 157

Pass

97.5%

Fail

1.3%

PRS

0.0%

Avg mileage at test

14,698 mi

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

The picture

Continental Gt: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,798 MOT tests, the Continental Gt returns 93.9% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Windscreen damage and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 20,802, 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 48–50

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 →

48–50

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

49 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
02

A tyre seriously damaged

38 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
03

A tyre cords visible or damaged

34 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
04

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

21 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
05

A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber

19 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
06

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

16 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
07

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

14 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
08

Windscreen or window excessively tinted but not adversely affecting driver's view

11 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
09

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

10 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
10

Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction

9 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.

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Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.2-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Bentley Continental GT makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

97.5%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 97.5% — a 1.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 14,698 miles — roughly 15K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, connection leaking on a hydraulic braking system — 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 97.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a bulge, caused by separation or…, has ply or cords exposed, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 29,381 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (97.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (96.2% pass). That's a 1.2-point spread across 4,686 older tests and 157 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

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.

Denso

Denso W14E Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

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Denso

Denso W16EX-U Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

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Denso

Denso W16FSR Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

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Denso

Denso W9LM-US Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

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Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

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

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Buying or keeping a Continental GT?

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 Continental GT 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.