The picture
Lupo: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 8,834 MOT tests, the Lupo returns 67.5% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a split CV-joint boot. A defective headlamp lens and headlamp aim out of spec round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 87,432, 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
441 occurrences · 5.0% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
437 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 03
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
419 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
363 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 05
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
304 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 06
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
303 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 07
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
270 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
265 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
243 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
225 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 2 failures
£20–£160
If every one of this Lupo'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
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 Lupo?
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 Lupo 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.