The picture
Tigra: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 11,464 MOT tests, the Tigra returns 64.2% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. A weak handbrake and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 76,314, 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 spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
731 occurrences · 6.4% of tests
- 02
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
703 occurrences · 6.1% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
507 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 04
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
492 occurrences · 4.3% of tests
- 05
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
471 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 06
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
385 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 07
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
378 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
330 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 09
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
306 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 10
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
292 occurrences · 2.5% 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 Tigra'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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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.
Buying or keeping a Tigra?
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 Tigra 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.