The picture
Robin: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 759 MOT tests, the Robin returns 70.1% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a lamp out. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing and a stop-lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 51,984, 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
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
40 occurrences · 5.3% of tests
- 02
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
36 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 03
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
25 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 04
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
25 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 05
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
23 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 06
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
21 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 07
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
19 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
18 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
18 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.
17 occurrences · 2.2% 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.
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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.
Buying or keeping a Robin?
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 Robin 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.