Which cars are most likely to fail their first MOT?

New analysis of first-time MOT results from 2025 offers an early insight into which cars may be more prone to issues after three years on the road, a useful reliability signal for fleet buyers and drivers alike.

The research, carried out by CarVertical using data obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, looks only at cars with at least 100 failures. Vans and pick-ups were excluded.

Highest first-time MOT failure rates

Mercedes-Benz EQC (electric) – 17.2% fail rate (717 fails from 4,179 tests)

Ford Tourneo Custom – 16.6%

Vauxhall Insignia – 15.7%

Ford Tourneo Connect – 15.7%

Land Rover Discovery Sport – 15.1%

Popular electric cars also feature:

Tesla Model Y – 14.8% (nearly 20,000 tests)

Tesla Model 3 – 14.6%

BMW i4 (electric) – 14.9%

CarVertical expert Matas Buzelis said EVs are assessed against the same MOT standards as petrol and diesel cars, adding that as more EVs reach MOT age, reliability trends will become clearer.

See more news News – FleetWise

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