Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 3,449 tests

Pass rate climbs 1.1 points across the cohorts — newer Xsr examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 2,236

Pass

89.5%

Fail

4.8%

PRS

5.3%

Avg mileage at test

11,512 mi

2018–2020 cohort 1,012

Pass

92.0%

Fail

4.0%

PRS

3.4%

Avg mileage at test

7,919 mi

2021+ cohort 201

Pass

90.5%

Fail

2.5%

PRS

7.0%

Avg mileage at test

4,291 mi

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

The picture

Xsr: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,473 MOT tests, the Xsr returns 88.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A missing rear reflector and a non-conforming number plate round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 9,323, 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.

Filter failures:

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

01

A footrest missing or insecure

23 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
02

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

20 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
03

Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear

15 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
04

A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

14 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
05

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

14 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
06

Rear registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps

9 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
07

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps

7 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
08

Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
09

Reflector colour or position not in accordance with the requirements

6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
10

Projected beam image is obviously incorrect

6 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 2 failures

£75–£130

If every one of this Xsr'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.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.5-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Yamaha Xsr makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

92.0%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.0% — a 2.5-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: missing, not working — 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

89.5%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 89.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: missing, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, and missing. Average mileage on test for this band is 11,512 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (89.5% pass). That's a 2.5-point spread across 2,236 older tests and 1,012 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

Item 02 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

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

Denso

Denso W14E Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W16EX-U Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W16FSR Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

Denso

Denso W9LM-US Spark Plug (Single)

£1.09

View at My Motor World →

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.

Get a quote →

Buying or keeping a Xsr?

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 Xsr 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.