MoT test data has been released by the Government which reveals the cars most – and least – likely to pass an MoT exam.
Taking the top spot for the model most likely to make the grade is the humble Honda Jazz (96.32 per cent pass rate), followed by the desirable Porsche 911 (95.93 per cent), with the diminutive Toyota iQ (94.49 per cent) snatching bronze. The Mazda MX-5 and Porsche Boxster round out the top five.
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And the least likely vehicles to pass their MoTs? Four of the bottom five are vans, a statistic likely to speak volumes about the harsh lives and high mileages that commercial vehicles experience. The Vauxhall Combo van posted the lowest pass rate (74.15 per cent), followed by the Renault Mégane (77.47 per cent), the only car in the bottom five.
The data, released this month by the Department for Transport, covers MoT pass rates in 2017 and was analysed by pay-per-mile insurance company, By Miles. Models were excluded if fewer than 3,000 examples were submitted for testing under By Miles’ vigorous rules for interrogating the stats. Also, only cars and vans between three and five years old were included – so in most instances, the data doesn’t apply to current-generation models.
Best and worst performers
This is how likely individual cars and makes are to pass their MoT tests, according to official Department for Transport stats.
| Pass Rates top five | Manufacturer top five |
| 1. Honda Jazz (96.32 per cent pass rate) | 1. Honda (93.77 per cent pass rate) |
| 2. Porsche 911 (95.93 per cent pass rate) | 2. Porsche (93.18 per cent pass rate) |
| 3. Toyota iQ (94.49 per cent pass rate) | 3. Subaru (92.84 per cent pass rate) |
| 4. Mazda MX-5 (94.42 per cent pass rate) | 4. Lexus (92.61 per cent pass rate) |
| 5. Porsche Boxster (94.4 per cent pass rate) | 5. Smart (92.42 per cent pass rate) |
| Pass Rates bottom five | Manufacturer bottom five |
| 1. Vauxhall Combo (74.15 per cent pass rate) | 1. Chrysler (80.14 per cent pass rate) |
| 2. Renault Mégane (77.47 per cent pass rate) | 2. Chevrolet (82.24 per cent pass rate) |
| 3. Renault Kangoo (77.61 per cent pass rate) | 3. Renault (82.45 per cent pass rate) |
| 4. Citroen Dispatch (77.79 per cent pass rate) | 4. Citroen (84.38 per cent pass rate) |
| 5. Ford Transit (77.95 per cent pass rate) | 5. Alfa Romeo (84.9 per cent pass rate) |
By Miles also collated the makes of car most likely to pass their MoTs, with the top five dominated, again, by Japanese brands. The bottom five was populated by French and Italian marques, plus two makers which are no longer active in the UK, Chrysler and Chevrolet.
Other trends picked out reveal turquoise cars are most likely to pass their MoT, with a 92.48 per cent success rate. The most likely day for a vehicle to get through its test is a Sunday, when 79.03 per cent pass, compared with the least fortuitous day, Monday, when just 72.36 per cent achieve a favourable result.
Mileage, unsurprisingly, played a significant part in how likely a car was to pass its MoT in 2017. By Miles CEO James Blackham explained: “Toyota, Honda and Mazda are in the bottom half of the mileage table, while Porsches are right at the bottom, being driven an average of 3,576 miles a year. No doubt owners of three to five-year-old Porsches look after their cars pretty well, too.”
By Miles also detected a noticeable decrease in the amount Britons are driving overall. MoT records show average distances travelled fell from 7,712 in 2007, to 7,134 in 2017 – a 7.4 per cent drop.Blackham added: “If you spend less time on the road, you’re less likely to be involved in an accident, and you should therefore pay less for your insurance. That’s why we created pay-per-mile car insurance.”
Are you surprised by the MoT best and worst list? Let us know in the comments below...