Rolls Royce
2,292 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Phantoms pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 19.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
97.2%
Pass-after-fix
0.4%
Fail
2.0%
Avg miles
39,473
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Could not determine Euro standard — check the V5C or use the government's online ULEZ checker.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,240 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.2 points across the cohorts — newer Phantom examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
97.3%
Fail
1.7%
PRS
0.5%
Avg mileage at test
45,546 mi
Pass
98.5%
Fail
1.5%
PRS
0.0%
Avg mileage at test
15,760 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 865 MOT tests, the Phantom returns 93.1% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A seriously damaged tyre and windscreen washers not working round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 44,493, 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.
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Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
7 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
6 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Wiper blade defective
5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
3 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Headlamp aim unable to be tested
3 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2 occurrences · 0.1% 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
£80–£295
If every one of this Phantom'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 1.2-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Rolls Royce Phantom makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
98.5%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 98.5% — a 1.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 15,760 miles — roughly 30K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, has a tear, caused by separation or… — 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
97.3%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 97.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 98.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: excessively corroded, not working on main beam, and blade defective. Average mileage on test for this band is 45,546 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (98.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (97.3% pass). That's a 1.2-point spread across 1,835 older tests and 405 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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
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
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
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.
Recall history
The Phantom has 2 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
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 Phantom 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.
![Photo: – Wladyslaw [Disk.], CC BY-SA 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARolls%20Royce%20K%C3%BChlerfigur.jpg){kind=link}