Amid a cost of living crisis, having to fork out on car repairs is far from ideal. But sadly, for many Brits, failing the dreaded MOT is just part and parcel of car ownership. If you’re wondering whether your car is likely to pass or are considering upgrading, here are some of the cars that are most likely to fail their MOT – and why.
Why do cars fail their MOT?
If you’re about to book your car for an MOT online, you might be wondering what causes your beloved vehicle to fail. And the answer is simple: it depends!
Failures come about for a whole range of reasons. For some models, it’s because the headlights have fallen out of alignment or the windscreen wipers struggle to cope beyond a slight drizzle.
Broken headlamps, faulty clutches and ageing brake pads are also common reasons for MOT failure.
What cars are most likely to fail their MOT?
- Renault Clio
Cinching the top spot is the not-so-trusty Renault Clio. Each year, 29 million MOTs are carried out across the UK and unfortunately, the Clio fails a good proportion of them!
With a failure rate of 37.2%, if you’re the proud owner of a Clio, it’s a good idea to check your car over before you head to the garage to avoid a costly bill.
- Peugeot 5008
Although the Peugeot 5008 is one of the largest vehicles that Peugeot make, it’s certainly not one of the most reliable.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a Peugeot 5008 to ferry your children around and complete the dreaded school run, you might want to think again. With 26.8% of Peugeot’s cars failing their MOTs, it’s a risky business!
- Vauxhall Zafira
The Vauxhall Zafira has been revealed as another famous car most likely to fail its first MOT. Although it’s a family favourite, according to research, around 31.15% of Zafiras failed their first MOT tests in 2021.
- Honda Accord
If you thought your trusty Honda was safe – think again. Although spacious, driver-friendly and highly attractive, the Honda Accord isn’t what we’d call reliable.
Despite its rock-solid reputation, the Honda Accord has an MOT failure rate of 22.7%. So you might end up out of pocket when you next take your Honda in for an annual check-up.
Final thoughts…
If you’re worried that your car will fail its MOT, you’re not alone. But the good news is that you can avoid costly bills by carrying out routine checks before you get to the garage. By doing it this way around, you can fix anything that could be a point of contention at your local (usually more affordable!) garage so your car passes with flying colours when the official MOT rolls around again.