Mitsubishi
16,729 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Eclipses pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.2 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.7%
Pass-after-fix
2.9%
Fail
9.1%
Avg miles
40,945
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 16,692 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Eclipse examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
88.1%
Fail
9.3%
PRS
2.3%
Avg mileage at test
46,038 mi
Pass
87.6%
Fail
9.0%
PRS
3.1%
Avg mileage at test
39,558 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a sport compact car which was manufactured and marketed by Mitsubishi over four generations in the 1990–2012 model years. A convertible body style was added during the 1996 model year.
MOT data from 10,485 tests puts this car on an 88.0% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 34,144 miles. The most common fail item is inoperative wiper blade, followed by brake pads worn below 1.5mm.
For used buyers, the Eclipse's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
14–32
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a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
403 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
308 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Wiper blade defective
246 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
246 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
168 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
159 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
88 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
72 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
61 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Obligatory mirror or device slightly damaged or loose
52 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–£345
If every one of this Eclipse'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Mitsubishi Eclipse makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
88.1%
Pre-2018 registration
the older band (pre-2018) climbs to 88.1% — a 0.6-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, 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.
Band to be cautious about
87.6%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 87.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 88.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, does not clear the windscreen effectively, and blade defective. Average mileage on test for this band is 39,558 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: pre-2018 (88.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (87.6% pass). That's a 0.6-point spread across 13,066 older tests and 3,626 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
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
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
Item 03 · 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
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
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Motor World Mitsubishi Colt 2004- Car Floor Mat Set
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Motor World Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab 88-2005- Car Floor Mat Set
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Motor World Mitsubishi L200 4 Work Club Cab 2006- Car Floor Mat Set
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Motor World
Motor World Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab 2006-2015 L/Rears Warrior Car Floor Mat Set
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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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 an Eclipse 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.
