Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 20,886 tests

Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Panamera examples track each other at the test bay.

Pre-2018 cohort 16,030

Pass

91.8%

Fail

6.8%

PRS

0.7%

Avg mileage at test

70,787 mi

2018–2020 cohort 4,229

Pass

93.6%

Fail

5.3%

PRS

0.6%

Avg mileage at test

38,047 mi

2021+ cohort 627

Pass

92.3%

Fail

5.9%

PRS

0.6%

Avg mileage at test

25,981 mi

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

The picture

Panamera: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 7,151 MOT tests, the Panamera returns 87.9% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen damage and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 58,203, 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 44–50

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 →

44–50

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

293 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
02

A tyre cords visible or damaged

246 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
03

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

234 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
04

A tyre seriously damaged

201 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
05

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

140 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
06

Wiper blade defective

99 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
07

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

86 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
08

A tyre seriously damaged

78 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
09

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

62 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
10

Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn

43 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

£200–£430

If every one of this Panamera'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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.8-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Porsche Panamera makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

93.6%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 93.6% — a 1.8-point improvement. Tests in this band average 38,047 miles — roughly 33K 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

91.8%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 91.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 93.6% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 70,787 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (93.6% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (91.8% pass). That's a 1.8-point spread across 16,030 older tests and 4,229 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.

Draper Expert

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£18.69

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Porsche Birthday Greetings Card (Personalised)

£4.28

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Motor World Porsche Cayenne 2003-2012 Car Floor Mat Set

£32.99

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Motor World Porsche 911 Coupe 2004-, Cabriolet 2005- & Targe 2006- Car Floor Mat Set

£32.99

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Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

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

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Recall history

22 UK recalls on record.

The Panamera has 22 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Panamera?

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 Panamera 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.