The 10 Cars With the Best MOT Pass Rates in the UK (DVSA Data)
The Hyundai Ioniq tops What Car?'s analysis of DVSA MOT data with a 96.2% pass rate, and the Honda Jazz leads a separate By Miles study of 2019 results at 95.4%. Hybrids dominate — regenerative braking spares the brakes that fail so many MOTs. The Lexus NX, Honda CR-V, Toyota Prius, Mercedes GLA, Toyota RAV4, Mazda MX-5, Audi Q3 and Skoda Yeti complete the top ten.
The 10 Cars With the Best MOT Pass Rates in the UK (DVSA Data)
Around 28% of cars fail their MOT first time in the UK. But some models barely seem to notice the test exists — passing at rates above 95%, year after year.
How do we know? The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) publishes anonymised results for every MOT carried out in Britain — tens of millions of tests a year — and motoring outlets regularly crunch the numbers into league tables. We've pulled together the models that genuinely top those analyses: What Car?'s study (with Auto Trader) of three-to-eight-year-old used cars, insurer By Miles' analysis of 2019 results for cars aged three to five (reported by Auto Express), Honest John's MOT Files, and Tempcover's sweep of 33 million test records.
One honest caveat before we start: each analysis covers different years and vehicle ages, so the percentages aren't directly comparable with each other. What they agree on is which cars keep passing — and a clear pattern emerges. Hybrids dominate, Japanese and Korean brands punch hardest, and the cars that pass are usually the cars that get driven gently and serviced on time.
Here are the ten, ranked by their best documented pass rate.
1. Hyundai Ioniq — 96.2% Pass Rate
Data covers: 2017-onwards cars, aged three to eight at test.
The top spot goes to a car most people forget exists. What Car?'s analysis of DVSA MOT records, run in partnership with Auto Trader, found the Hyundai Ioniq passed 96.18% of its MOTs — the best result of any car in the study, at an average test mileage of around 22,700.
Why it passes
The Ioniq came as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full EV — and every version slows itself with regenerative braking, so the pads and discs that fail so many MOTs barely wear. Add a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty that kept most examples inside franchised servicing, and a fleet that's still relatively young, and you get a car that simply doesn't accumulate test-failing faults.
What still trips it up
Not much, according to the data — when an Ioniq does fail, it tends to be the universal suspects: tyres worn past the limit, the odd blown bulb, and consumables that any car needs.
2. Honda Jazz — 95.4% Pass Rate
Data covers: Cars aged three to five in 2019; the 2015–2020 generation in later studies.
If any car has a claim to being Britain's MOT champion, it's the Jazz — because it tops the table in more than one independent analysis. By Miles' study of 2019 MOT results found the Jazz passed 95.4% of tests among three-to-five-year-old cars, the best of any model. What Car?'s separate study scored the 2015–2020 Jazz at 90.07% over a wider age range. And when Tempcover analysed 33 million test records, a hybrid Jazz variant came out top of the entire dataset at 97.19%.
Why it passes
Simple, light, conservatively engineered. The Jazz uses chain-driven, naturally aspirated petrol engines (and latterly a hybrid), weighs little, and — let's be honest — is typically driven carefully over low annual mileages by owners who never miss a service. Light cars are kind to their own brakes, tyres and suspension.
What still trips it up
Age, eventually. Older Jazzes pick up the usual suspension wear and tyre advisories. If you're buying one, check its full MOT history free — a Jazz with a clean sheet is about the safest used buy there is.
3. Lexus NX — 93.8% Pass Rate
Data covers: 2014-onwards cars, aged three to eight at test.
What Car?'s analysis put the Lexus NX at 93.82%, despite a healthy average test mileage of over 32,000 — these aren't garage queens. It fits the wider picture: Lexus consistently sits at or near the top of brand-level analyses of DVSA MOT data.
Why it passes
Under the badge it's Toyota hybrid engineering: a proven petrol-electric drivetrain, regenerative braking sparing the discs and pads, and the kind of build quality that wins Lexus customer-satisfaction surveys year after year. Lexus owners also overwhelmingly stick to dealer servicing, so wear items get caught before a tester ever sees them.
What still trips it up
The handful that fail tend to do so on tyres — a heavy SUV on large alloys gets through rubber, and kerbed wheels and worn shoulders are the typical culprits.
4. Honda CR-V — 93.4% Pass Rate
Data covers: Cars aged three to five in 2019.
The second Honda on the list. By Miles' analysis of 2019 MOT data placed the CR-V second overall at 93.4% — remarkable for a family SUV that spends its life lugging people, dogs and tip runs.
Why it passes
Same recipe as the Jazz, scaled up: conservative engineering, durable chain-driven engines, and an owner base that services on schedule. The CR-V has never chased fashion or fragile complexity, and the MOT data is the payoff.
What still trips it up
Weight is the enemy. A loaded family SUV works its brakes and tyres harder than a supermini, so worn pads and tread are the most likely failure points as the miles climb — along with tired suspension bushes on older examples.
5. Toyota Prius — 93.1% Pass Rate
Data covers: Cars aged three to five in 2019.
The car that proved hybrids could be bulletproof. By Miles' study scored the Prius at 93.1% — and remember, a big slice of the Prius fleet works as taxis, racking up mileages that would destroy lesser cars.
Why it passes
The Prius drivetrain is arguably the most proven hybrid system on the planet, and regenerative braking means brake components last extraordinarily well — many Priuses sail past 100,000 miles on original discs. Toyota's engineering margins were built for taxi work.
What still trips it up
The hardest-worked examples eventually show suspension wear and tyre consumption from sheer mileage. One Prius-specific warning: older models are a known target for catalytic converter theft, and a car missing its cat will fail on emissions instantly — listen for an unusually loud exhaust on any used example.
6. Mercedes-Benz GLA — 92.8% Pass Rate
Data covers: The 2014–2020 first generation, across multiple test years.
The GLA is the rare car that shows up near the top of three separate analyses. Honest John's MOT Files put it first in their table of 2017 tests at 93.1%; By Miles' 2019 study scored it 92.8%; What Car?'s wider-age study had it at 90.93%. When three independent crunches of DVSA data agree, believe them.
Why it passes
Honest John's data offered a clue: the GLA holds its pass rate unusually well as mileage climbs, still passing 92.5% of tests at 50,000–60,000 miles. It's a premium crossover that's typically dealer-serviced, driven on motorways rather than thrashed, and built on well-proven A-Class mechanicals.
What still trips it up
The usual premium-crossover wear: tyres on larger alloys, plus the lamps and bulbs that catch every make out.
7. Toyota RAV4 — 92.7% Pass Rate
Data covers: Cars aged three to five in 2019.
Rounding out By Miles' top five, the RAV4 passed 92.7% of its 2019 MOTs. Two Toyotas and two Hondas in one top five tells you everything about who builds cars for the long haul.
Why it passes
Recent RAV4s are predominantly hybrids, with all the brake-sparing benefits that brings, bolted to a drivetrain Toyota has been refining for decades. It's also a car bought by pragmatists — the kind of owners who book a service when the light comes on, not three months later.
What still trips it up
As with the CR-V, it's mostly mass: tyres and brakes wear faster on a two-tonne-ish family SUV than the drivetrain ever will. Older, pre-hybrid RAV4s pick up more typical age-related suspension wear.
8. Mazda MX-5 — 92.6% Pass Rate
Data covers: The 2016-onwards ND generation, aged three to eight at test.
The only sports car in our ten. What Car?'s analysis scored the current MX-5 at 92.62% — with the lowest average test mileage in their top 25, at around 16,400 miles.
Why it passes
It's the classic second-car effect: MX-5s are weekend toys, often garaged, driven in fine weather and doted on by enthusiasts. The car itself helps — at barely over a tonne it's featherweight by modern standards, so brakes, tyres and suspension lead an easy life. Mazda as a brand also scores consistently well in MOT and reliability analyses.
What still trips it up
Be careful extrapolating backwards: this data covers the newest generation. Older MX-5s (the NA, NB and especially NC) are notorious for sill and rear-arch corrosion, and structural rust is an outright MOT failure. On any MX-5 more than a decade old, the underside matters more than the engine.
9. Audi Q3 — 91.1% Pass Rate
Data covers: The 2011–2018 first generation, tested in 2017.
Honest John's MOT Files analysed over 29,000 Q3 tests from 2017 and found a pass rate of 91.1% — second only to the GLA in their table, and from a properly large sample.
Why it passes
Familiar premium-crossover pattern: solid VW Group mechanicals, dealer servicing through the early years, and motorway-biased mileage that's gentle on suspension. Owners of nearly-new premium cars also fix advisories rather than gambling on them.
What still trips it up
Honest John's data was specific here: tyres were the chief failure cause, at 3.7% of tests. Big alloys, firm suspension and British potholes are an expensive combination — check tread and sidewalls before the test, not after.
10. Skoda Yeti — The High-Mileage Hero
Data covers: The 2009–2017 production run, tested in 2017.
The Yeti's headline number — 86.8% across more than 35,000 tests in Honest John's MOT Files — looks modest next to the hybrids above. But their data hides the Yeti's party trick: at 100,000 miles it passed around 20% more often than the average car at the same mileage. Most cars fade as the odometer climbs; the Yeti barely notices.
Why it passes
Simple, robust VW Group mechanicals in an unfashionable, practical box — bought by exactly the kind of sensible owners who keep up with maintenance. There's a reason used Yetis still command strong money.
What still trips it up
Nothing exotic — just the standard wear items every high-miler accumulates: lamps, tyres and gradual suspension wear. Sort the basics before the test and a Yeti will keep passing for years.
The Bottom Line
Here's the full list at a glance — with the source for every number, because each analysis covers different years and vehicle ages:
| Rank | Car | Best documented pass rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai Ioniq | 96.2% | What Car? / Auto Trader (3–8 yr old cars) |
| 2 | Honda Jazz | 95.4% | By Miles, 2019 MOT data (3–5 yr old cars) |
| 3 | Lexus NX | 93.8% | What Car? / Auto Trader |
| 4 | Honda CR-V | 93.4% | By Miles, 2019 MOT data |
| 5 | Toyota Prius | 93.1% | By Miles, 2019 MOT data |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz GLA | 92.8–93.1% | By Miles & Honest John MOT Files |
| 7 | Toyota RAV4 | 92.7% | By Miles, 2019 MOT data |
| 8 | Mazda MX-5 | 92.6% | What Car? / Auto Trader |
| 9 | Audi Q3 | 91.1% | Honest John MOT Files (2017 tests) |
| 10 | Skoda Yeti | 86.8% (≈20% above average at 100k miles) | Honest John MOT Files (2017 tests) |
Three things the data keeps shouting:
- Hybrids win. Regenerative braking quietly removes one of the biggest MOT failure categories, and By Miles found hybrids out-passed every other fuel type.
- Owners matter as much as engineering. Low-mileage, dealer-serviced, gently driven cars pass. The league tables partly measure who buys the car, not just who built it.
- Even the best cars fail on the basics. Tyres were the top failure cause for the Audi Q3; bulbs, wipers and tread catch out every make. The most common MOT failures are cheap, avoidable fixes — whatever badge is on the bonnet.
And one final, important point: a model's average tells you nothing about the specific car on the driveway in front of you. Before you buy — or before your own test — check any car's full MOT history free. Every pass, failure, advisory and recorded mileage since 2005, in 60 seconds. That's the number that actually matters.
Good question
Frequently asked questions
Which car has the best MOT pass rate in the UK?
+
It depends on whose analysis you read, because each one covers different years and vehicle ages. What Car?'s study of DVSA MOT records for three-to-eight-year-old cars put the Hyundai Ioniq top at 96.2%. A separate analysis of 2019 MOT results by insurer By Miles found the Honda Jazz led cars aged three to five at 95.4%. And Tempcover's sweep of 33 million test records found a hybrid Honda Jazz variant top overall at 97.2%. The consistent thread: small, simple cars and hybrids from Japanese and Korean brands dominate every table.
Why do hybrids pass the MOT more often than petrol or diesel cars?
+
Mostly because of regenerative braking. Hybrids slow themselves using the electric motor, so brake pads and discs — one of the biggest MOT failure categories — wear far more slowly than on a conventional car. Hybrids also tend to be newer, gently driven, and serviced on schedule. The By Miles analysis of 2019 MOT data found hybrids had a higher pass rate than any other fuel type, ahead of petrol, electric and diesel.
What is the average MOT pass rate in the UK?
+
Roughly 28% of cars fail their MOT first time, which puts the national first-time pass rate at around 72%. That makes the cars on this list genuinely exceptional — the best of them pass at rates above 95%, more than 20 percentage points clear of the average. The frustrating part is that most failures across all makes are cheap, avoidable faults like blown bulbs, worn wipers and low tyre tread.
Are Japanese cars more likely to pass the MOT?
+
The data strongly suggests so. Honest John's brand-level league table, built from millions of DVSA records, put Honda top with an average first-time pass rate of 93.8%, with Porsche and Subaru close behind. Toyota, Lexus and Mazda also consistently rank near the top of brand analyses. It's a mix of conservative engineering, durable drivetrains and — just as importantly — owners who tend to service their cars on time.
Does a high MOT pass rate mean a car is reliable?
+
It's a strong signal, but not the whole story. Pass rates measure the wear items the MOT actually tests — brakes, suspension, tyres, lights, corrosion — not gearbox failures or electrical gremlins that won't fail a test. They also reflect the owners as much as the engineering: a gently driven, dealer-serviced car will out-pass an identical one that's been thrashed. Always check the individual car's MOT history, not just the model's average.
How do I check a specific car's MOT history before buying?
+
Every MOT result since 2005 is public. Enter the registration into a free MOT history checker — like CarOkay's — and you'll see every pass, failure and advisory the car has ever had, plus recorded mileage at each test. It takes about 60 seconds and tells you far more about that specific car than any model-level league table: look for recurring advisories, mileage gaps, and failures that were never properly fixed.
Free vehicle health check
See what'll fail before you book. No sign-up.