Bentley
2,821 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Mulsannes pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 16.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.4%
Pass-after-fix
1.2%
Fail
4.0%
Avg miles
42,911
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 · 2,767 tests
Pass rate climbs 4.6 points across the cohorts — newer Mulsanne examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
93.9%
Fail
4.3%
PRS
1.4%
Avg mileage at test
46,536 mi
Pass
98.4%
Fail
1.6%
PRS
0.0%
Avg mileage at test
20,848 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 988 MOT tests, the Mulsanne returns 92.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the. Windscreen damage and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 41,605, 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 →
49–50
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A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
22 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
13 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
9 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade defective
8 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 3 failures
£88–£175
If every one of this Mulsanne'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 4.5-point gap between bands means the year you buy Bentley Mulsanne has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
98.4%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 98.4% — a 4.5-point improvement. Tests in this band average 20,848 miles — roughly 26K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm — 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
93.9%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 93.9% pass rate against a fleet average of 98.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, inoperative or indicates a malfunction, and does not clear the windscreen effectively. Average mileage on test for this band is 46,536 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (98.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (93.9% pass). That's a 4.5-point spread across 2,449 older tests and 318 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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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 Mulsanne 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.
