Which type of car is most reliable?
Average first-time MOT pass rate for cars aged 6 to 8 years, by type. The dashed line is the UK average for all vehicles of that age (79.1%).
UK average: 79.1%
Source: VehicleFile analysis of 16.9 million DVSA MOT tests, 2025.
Sports cars and large cars pass most often. Sports cars cover few miles and tend to have careful owners. Small cars and people carriers pass least often: people carriers work hard, and small cars are often run on tight budgets.
The most reliable used car of each type
UK average: 79.1%
Models with at least 3,000 tests at this age.
| Type | Most reliable at 6–8 years | Best older buy, 9–12 years | Best nearly new, 3–5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| City cars | Toyota Aygo 84.3% | Suzuki Celerio 80.2% | Suzuki Ignis 90.6% |
| Small cars and superminis | Honda Jazz 88.0% | Honda Jazz 80.3% | Honda Jazz 91.7% |
| Family hatchbacks | Toyota Prius 87.3% | Lexus CT 81.7% | Toyota Corolla 89.7% |
| Large family and executive cars | Mercedes-Benz S-Class 88.8% | Mercedes-Benz S-Class 85.9% | Audi A6 89.9% |
| Small SUVs and crossovers | Volkswagen T-Roc 89.0% | MINI Paceman 81.4% | Lexus UX 93.7% |
| Medium and large SUVs | Porsche Macan 90.1% | Lexus RX 86.6% | Porsche Macan 93.2% |
| People carriers (MPVs) | Kia Venga 84.8% | Volkswagen Sharan 73.0% | Mercedes-Benz B-Class 90.4% |
| Sports cars and coupes | Porsche 911 94.3% | Porsche 911 94.2% | Porsche 911 95.5% |
City cars
Small, simple and cheap to fix, city cars pass well when young. The Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 108, built in the same factory, are both in the top three, with the closely related Citroen C1 not far behind. The Volkswagen Up does well at every age. The Fiat 500 and Vauxhall Adam trail the class. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 79.7%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Aygo | 84.3% | 41,243 | 32,775 |
| 2 | Suzuki Celerio | 83.8% | 40,213 | 7,958 |
| 3 | Peugeot 108 | 82.5% | 40,784 | 15,934 |
| 4 | Volkswagen Up | 82.1% | 40,385 | 18,663 |
| 5 | Hyundai i10 | 81.0% | 40,106 | 33,419 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Smart Forfour | 76.1% | 41,228 | 6,363 |
| 16 | Fiat 500 | 74.0% | 41,374 | 37,512 |
| 17 | Vauxhall Adam | 68.2% | 46,283 | 10,402 |
Ranked out of 17 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Suzuki Celerio (80.2%), Peugeot 108 (76.9%), Volkswagen Up (76.5%).
Small cars and superminis
The biggest class on the road, and the one with the widest gap between best and worst. The Honda Jazz leads in every age group we ranked; the Renault Clio, one of the UK's most common cars, sits near the bottom. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 76.5%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Jazz | 88.0% | 37,224 | 27,397 |
| 2 | MINI Cooper | 85.8% | 47,353 | 62,536 |
| 3 | MINI One | 85.2% | 49,606 | 6,477 |
| 4 | Mazda 2 | 83.5% | 46,126 | 12,144 |
| 5 | Toyota Yaris | 82.4% | 44,972 | 41,602 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Dacia Sandero | 67.9% | 50,056 | 21,019 |
| 22 | DS DS3 | 66.8% | 53,176 | 9,212 |
| 23 | Renault Clio | 64.5% | 52,931 | 30,216 |
Ranked out of 23 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Honda Jazz (80.3%), MINI Cooper (79.2%), MINI One (77.8%).
Family hatchbacks
Hybrids and premium badges lead the family hatchback class. The Toyota Prius and Lexus CT, which share hybrid running gear, take the top two places; the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 are the best non-hybrids. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 80.9%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Prius | 87.3% | 119,507 | 26,727 |
| 2 | Lexus CT | 86.9% | 61,730 | 4,242 |
| 3 | Volkswagen Golf | 85.2% | 63,326 | 101,241 |
| 4 | Audi A3 | 85.1% | 63,713 | 48,628 |
| 5 | Hyundai Ioniq | 84.0% | 97,218 | 10,742 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Fiat Tipo | 69.1% | 64,455 | 5,052 |
| 26 | Citroen C4 | 67.9% | 67,788 | 6,640 |
| 27 | Citroen C4 Cactus | 67.3% | 55,925 | 7,949 |
Ranked out of 27 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Lexus CT (81.7%), Volkswagen Golf (78.3%), BMW 2 Series (78.2%).
Large family and executive cars
Large cars pass more often than small ones at the same age, possibly because more of them are company cars serviced on schedule. German executive saloons and estates dominate the top of the table. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 82.5%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 88.8% | 80,767 | 3,960 |
| 2 | BMW 5 Series | 85.9% | 79,945 | 27,053 |
| 3 | Audi A6 | 85.5% | 81,769 | 14,836 |
| 4 | Jaguar XF | 84.8% | 65,826 | 9,670 |
| 5 | BMW 3 Series | 84.7% | 75,346 | 43,492 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Volvo V60 | 79.5% | 76,792 | 5,696 |
| 19 | Mazda 6 | 79.0% | 72,701 | 6,776 |
| 20 | Vauxhall Insignia | 75.3% | 81,119 | 23,220 |
Ranked out of 20 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Mercedes-Benz S-Class (85.9%), Lexus IS (84.2%), Audi A7 (83.2%).
Small SUVs and crossovers
Small SUVs from the Volkswagen Group, Volvo and Honda lead this crowded class. The Vauxhall Mokka, Dacia Duster and Peugeot 2008 have the lowest pass rates. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 78.2%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen T-Roc | 89.0% | 51,663 | 12,905 |
| 2 | Audi Q2 | 87.7% | 54,147 | 18,287 |
| 3 | Volvo XC40 | 87.0% | 54,233 | 6,054 |
| 4 | Honda HR-V | 86.5% | 52,110 | 9,042 |
| 5 | Hyundai Kona | 85.6% | 46,412 | 5,241 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Peugeot 2008 | 71.3% | 53,315 | 25,181 |
| 26 | Dacia Duster | 69.4% | 56,371 | 12,974 |
| 27 | Vauxhall Mokka | 68.3% | 52,834 | 53,201 |
Ranked out of 27 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: MINI Paceman (81.4%), MINI Countryman (79.6%), Suzuki Vitara (78.7%).
Medium and large SUVs
Porsche and Lexus top the larger SUVs, but the Skoda Karoq and Honda CR-V run them close at a fraction of the price. Some popular French SUVs trail the class. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 81.8%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche Macan | 90.1% | 56,692 | 7,673 |
| 2 | Lexus NX | 88.8% | 57,209 | 6,001 |
| 3 | Skoda Karoq | 88.2% | 54,050 | 10,211 |
| 4 | Porsche Cayenne | 87.4% | 64,651 | 3,529 |
| 5 | Honda CR-V | 86.9% | 61,505 | 16,378 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Peugeot 3008 | 75.3% | 60,031 | 24,687 |
| 44 | Peugeot 5008 | 73.0% | 64,609 | 4,823 |
| 45 | Renault Kadjar | 72.1% | 62,294 | 20,911 |
Ranked out of 45 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Lexus RX (86.6%), Porsche Macan (85.4%), Porsche Cayenne (85.1%).
People carriers (MPVs)
People carriers have some of the lowest pass rates of any car type. They are heavy, often carry big loads and do high mileages. The Kia Venga and Hyundai iX20, which are closely related, did best. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 77.3%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia Venga | 84.8% | 40,092 | 7,373 |
| 2 | Hyundai iX20 | 83.8% | 39,665 | 4,502 |
| 3 | Volkswagen Sharan | 82.9% | 117,217 | 6,622 |
| 4 | Mercedes-Benz B-Class | 82.2% | 51,044 | 7,360 |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz V-Class | 81.0% | 118,187 | 3,836 |
Least reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Vauxhall Meriva | 71.3% | 50,362 | 4,163 |
| 14 | Ford Grand C-MAX | 71.1% | 65,775 | 5,862 |
| 15 | Citroen C4 Picasso | 67.6% | 68,258 | 9,684 |
Ranked out of 15 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Volkswagen Sharan (73.0%), Skoda Roomster (72.8%), Mercedes-Benz B-Class (72.5%).
Sports cars and coupes
Sports cars pass more often than any other type. They are usually second cars, cover few miles and are looked after by enthusiastic owners. The class average at 6 to 8 years is 86.7%.
Most reliable at 6 to 8 years
| # | Car | First-time pass rate | Avg miles | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche 911 | 94.3% | 25,347 | 3,348 |
| 2 | Jaguar F-Type | 90.9% | 33,032 | 3,095 |
| 3 | Mazda MX-5 | 89.1% | 33,753 | 6,597 |
| 4 | Audi TT | 88.7% | 50,591 | 9,461 |
| 5 | BMW M4 | 86.4% | 44,457 | 3,108 |
Ranked out of 8 models with at least 3,000 tests at this age. Best older buys at 9 to 12 years: Porsche 911 (94.2%), Jaguar F-Type (90.7%), Audi TT (83.3%).
The most reliable used electric cars
Most used electric cars are still young, so we compare them at 3 to 5 years old. Pass rates for electric models are high overall, but the spread is wide. Electric cars are heavy, which is hard on tyres and suspension.
UK average for all cars aged 3 to 5: 86.1%
Electric versions only, models with at least 1,000 tests. Vans excluded.
At 6 to 8 years old, only a few electric models have enough tests to compare. The Jaguar I-Pace (90.0%) and BMW i3 (86.8%) did well. The Renault Zoe had a pass rate of just 62.5% at this age, well below the average for all cars. If you are buying an older Zoe, check its MOT history carefully.
Battery health is not part of the MOT. For used EVs, also ask for a battery health report. New rules from 2027 will make this easier: read about Euro 7 battery health monitoring.
The most reliable used hybrids
Hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions only. Lexus, Toyota and Honda dominate, but hybrid versions of the Volvo XC40, Suzuki Vitara and Kia Niro also do well.
| # | 3 to 5 years | Pass rate | 6 to 8 years | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexus RX | 95.0% | Lexus RX | 92.8% |
| 2 | Lexus UX | 93.7% | Lexus IS | 90.0% |
| 3 | Toyota Yaris Cross | 93.2% | Lexus NX | 88.8% |
| 4 | Suzuki Vitara | 92.9% | Lexus CT | 86.9% |
| 5 | Honda Jazz | 92.8% | Toyota Corolla | 86.6% |
| 6 | Volvo XC40 | 92.2% | BMW 5 Series | 86.0% |
| 7 | Honda CR-V | 92.1% | BMW i3 | 85.7% |
| 8 | Lexus NX | 91.7% | Kia Niro | 85.4% |
| 9 | Suzuki Ignis | 91.4% | Suzuki Swift | 84.4% |
| 10 | Toyota RAV4 | 91.2% | Hyundai Ioniq | 83.7% |
Models with at least 2,000 hybrid tests at that age. The BMW i3 figure is for the range-extender version.
How to use this when buying a used car
- Shortlist from the top of your class. Choosing a model from the top half of its table improves the odds, but it does not guarantee a good car.
- Check the individual car. Run a free MOT history check for failures and advisories that repeat, and compare its mileage with the average for its age and model.
- Look at every age. See how any model does at each age in our MOT pass rate checker.
- Count the full cost. Use our car tax calculator, car value calculator and used car checklist before you buy.
How we did this study
- Data. DVSA's anonymised MOT test results for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence: seven full months (February, April, May, June, August, November and December), a total of 16,904,967 tests on class 4 vehicles.
- Pass rate. First-time pass rate: tests passed outright divided by all tests that passed, failed or passed after a defect was fixed during the test. Retests are excluded.
- Car types. We assigned each model to one class by hand, using its usual body style and size. Models that changed class between generations are placed where most of their tests fall. Vans, pickups and London taxis are excluded.
- Rankings. Models need at least 3,000 tests at an age to be ranked. Class averages include every model we assigned to the class.
- Electric and hybrid. DVSA records the fuel type of each car, so these tables use only the electric or hybrid versions of each model. Hybrid figures include plug-in hybrids.
- Limits. MOT results reflect how a car has been used and maintained as well as how it was built. The MOT checks safety and emissions, not the engine, gearbox or battery, so a pass is not a guarantee of mechanical health. Full details of the data are in our reliability study.
Use this data
Journalists, researchers and car sites are welcome to quote, chart and republish these figures for free. Please credit VehicleFile with a link to this page:
Source: VehicleFile analysis of DVSA MOT data (https://vehiclefile.co.uk/best-used-cars)Download the full tables (CSV)
Questions
What is the most reliable used car in the UK?
It depends on the type of car. In our analysis of 16.9 million MOT tests, the most reliable cars aged 6 to 8 years were the Honda Jazz among small cars (88.0% passed first time), the Toyota Prius among family cars (87.3%) and the Volkswagen T-Roc among small SUVs (89.0%).
What is the most reliable used SUV?
Among larger SUVs aged 6 to 8, the Porsche Macan had the highest first-time MOT pass rate (90.1%). The Skoda Karoq and Honda CR-V were the best mainstream choices. Among small SUVs, the Volkswagen T-Roc led.
What is the most reliable used electric car?
Among electric cars aged 3 to 5 years with at least 1,000 tests, the Volkswagen e-Up and Jaguar I-Pace had the highest first-time MOT pass rates. The Tesla Model 3, the most common used EV, passed 84.5% of the time.
Which type of car is most reliable?
Sports cars had the highest first-time MOT pass rate at 6 to 8 years old (86.7%), followed by large family and executive cars (82.5%). Small cars and superminis had the lowest (76.5%).
Can I use this data?
Yes. You can quote, chart and republish these figures for free, including in news articles, as long as you credit VehicleFile with a link to this page. The full tables are available as a CSV download.
Sources
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures calculated by VehicleFile. Spotted an error? Tell us.