The picture
Rx: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 14,080 MOT tests, the Rx returns 92.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A seriously damaged tyre and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 47,870, 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
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
256 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 02
A tyre seriously damaged
191 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
152 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
Wiper blade defective
112 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 05
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
96 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 06
A tyre cords visible or damaged
82 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
81 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
52 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 09
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
45 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 10
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
35 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£160–£380
If every one of this RX'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.
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
Item 02 · 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
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
It's a quiet and very comfortable conveyance with the performance of a big V8 SUV, yet fuel economy that beats all full-si
Buying or keeping a RX?
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 RX 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.