MOT cost .

Top 30

Best year to buy.

Cars where the right year band gives the biggest jump in first-time pass rate. Each entry links to the car's page and shows the band spread — buy old on these models and you're stacking the odds against yourself.

DVSA 2024 test data. Ranked by spread: biggest gap between worst and best band.

  1. 01

    Citroen C3

    Buy: 2021+ — 92.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 68.3% pass 327,210 tests
    92.7% best band
  2. 02

    Toyota Corolla

    Buy: 2021+ — 91.2% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 67.1% pass 132,147 tests
    91.2% best band
  3. 03

    Citroen C5

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.6% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.9% pass 40,381 tests
    90.6% best band
  4. 04

    Renault Clio

    Buy: 2021+ — 89.6% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.1% pass 596,897 tests
    89.6% best band
  5. 05

    Nissan Micra

    Buy: 2021+ — 91.8% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 68.9% pass 430,570 tests
    91.8% best band
  6. 06

    Ford Puma

    Buy: 2021+ — 89.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 67.0% pass 5,377 tests
    89.7% best band
  7. 07

    Citroen C1

    Buy: 2021+ — 95.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 73.2% pass 276,634 tests
    95.7% best band
  8. 08

    Citroen C4

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.0% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 67.7% pass 240,189 tests
    90.0% best band
  9. 09

    Suzuki Jimny

    Buy: 2021+ — 93.8% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 72.0% pass 42,802 tests
    93.8% best band
  10. 10

    Ldv V80

    Buy: 2021+ — 86.6% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 65.2% pass 4,267 tests
    86.6% best band
  11. 11

    Land Rover Defender

    Buy: 2021+ — 94.2% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 73.7% pass 242,587 tests
    94.2% best band
  12. 12

    Toyota Yaris

    Buy: 2021+ — 93.5% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 73.5% pass 691,473 tests
    93.5% best band
  13. 13

    Renault Scenic

    Buy: 2018–2020 — 85.9% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.0% pass 71,475 tests
    85.9% best band
  14. 14

    Kia Rio

    Buy: 2021+ — 92.5% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 72.9% pass 167,559 tests
    92.5% best band
  15. 15

    Nissan Note

    Buy: 2018–2020 — 90.3% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 70.8% pass 256,542 tests
    90.3% best band
  16. 16

    Peugeot 5008

    Buy: 2021+ — 86.2% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.8% pass 52,539 tests
    86.2% best band
  17. 17

    Vauxhall Astra

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 71.6% pass 1,150,896 tests
    90.7% best band
  18. 18

    Peugeot 3008

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.5% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 71.6% pass 234,833 tests
    90.5% best band
  19. 19

    Mazda 3

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.9% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 72.0% pass 188,985 tests
    90.9% best band
  20. 20

    Vauxhall Corsa

    Buy: 2021+ — 88.6% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 69.7% pass 1,531,302 tests
    88.6% best band
  21. 21

    Ssangyong Rexton

    Buy: 2021+ — 88.9% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 70.1% pass 6,668 tests
    88.9% best band
  22. 22

    Renault Megane

    Buy: 2021+ — 84.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.0% pass 207,851 tests
    84.7% best band
  23. 23

    Nissan Qashqai

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 72.0% pass 1,004,500 tests
    90.7% best band
  24. 24

    Nissan Nv200

    Buy: 2021+ — 85.2% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 66.5% pass 46,585 tests
    85.2% best band
  25. 25

    SEAT Ibiza

    Buy: 2021+ — 89.5% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 71.0% pass 372,189 tests
    89.5% best band
  26. 26

    Volkswagen Polo

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.0% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 71.5% pass 1,133,725 tests
    90.0% best band
  27. 27

    Mazda 6

    Buy: 2021+ — 91.5% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 73.1% pass 110,633 tests
    91.5% best band
  28. 28

    Toyota Camry

    Buy: 2021+ — 94.7% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 76.4% pass 3,429 tests
    94.7% best band
  29. 29

    Hyundai I30

    Buy: 2021+ — 88.4% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 70.3% pass 183,904 tests
    88.4% best band
  30. 30

    Fiat Hymer

    Buy: 2021+ — 90.8% pass Avoid: Pre-2018 — 72.8% pass 3,010 tests
    90.8% best band

What you're looking at

The "best band" pass rate is the highest first-time pass percentage across the three DVSA registration bands for that model. The spread shows how far above the worst band it sits. A car with a 93% best band and a 21-point spread is a strong candidate for the right vintage.

Buying checklist

  • Check the registration plate year falls in the best band shown.
  • Ask for the last three MOT certificates — look for advisory patterns.
  • Run the car's VIN against the DVSA check service for pass/fail history.
  • High-spread models: a pre-MOT inspection by an independent garage is cheap insurance.

Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT test results 2024. Open Government Licence. Minimum 100 tests per band applied. Pass rates are first-time (excluding pass-after-rectification). Individual cars vary — a well-maintained older example may outperform a neglected newer one.

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