Mitsubishi
1,684 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Unclassifieds pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 2.6 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
74.9%
Pass-after-fix
5.5%
Fail
17.5%
Avg miles
110,442
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 · 1,677 tests
Pass rate climbs 9.1 points across the cohorts — newer Unclassified examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
74.1%
Fail
17.9%
PRS
5.8%
Avg mileage at test
113,238 mi
Pass
83.2%
Fail
14.5%
PRS
2.3%
Avg mileage at test
83,225 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 972 MOT tests, the Unclassified returns 74.1% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is the strength or continuity of the load bearing. A corroded brake pipe and a torn suspension dust cover round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 111,509, 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
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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Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point
51 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced
49 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
43 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
41 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
40 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
40 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
32 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
31 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
28 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
27 occurrences · 1.6% 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
£128–£365
If every one of this Unclassified'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 9.2-point gap between bands means the year you buy Mitsubishi Unclassified has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
83.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 83.2% — a 9.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 83,225 miles — roughly 30K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the…, gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the… — 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
74.1%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 74.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 83.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting, corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced, and inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…. Average mileage on test for this band is 113,238 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (83.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (74.1% pass). That's a 9.2-point spread across 1,546 older tests and 131 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.
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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 Unclassified 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.
