New analysis of vehicles undergoing their first mandatory MOT in 2025 has revealed the cars with the highest first-time failure rates.
Based on data obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), only makes and models with at least 100 fails were considered for this research, and vans and pick-up trucks were not included.
Top of the list was the Mercedes-Benz EQC, an electric SUV, with a first-time MOT fail rate of 17.2%. Just over 4,000 checked in for an MOT last year, and of those 717 failed.
Both electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) cars feature in the top 20, with the Ford Tourneo Custom just behind the Mercedes-Benz EQC, with a first-time MOT fail rate of 16.6%. Just over 3,100 had an MOT last year, and of those 520 failed.
The electric SUV failed 17.2% of first MOT tests, with 717 failures from 4,179 tests carried out.
Both the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 also featured prominently.
The Model Y recorded a first-time failure rate of 14.8% based on more than 19,000 tests, while the Model 3 failed 14.6% of its first MOTs from over 13,000 tests.
While an MOT failure does not necessarily indicate a serious issue, the data suggests some models are more likely than others to require remedial work at this stage.
The 20 car makes/models with the highest first mandatory MOT fail rates in 2025:
| Car – Make/Model | Number of MOTs (2025) | Number of passes | Number of fails | Fail rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz EQC (electric) | 4,179 | 3,462 | 717 | 17.20% |
| Ford Tourneo Custom | 3,141 | 2,621 | 520 | 16.60% |
| Vauxhall Insignia | 693 | 584 | 109 | 15.70% |
| Ford Tourneo Connect | 1,756 | 1,481 | 275 | 15.70% |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | 3,704 | 3,144 | 560 | 15.10% |
| BMW I4 (electric) | 3,830 | 3,259 | 571 | 14.90% |
| Tesla Model Y (electric) | 19,282 | 16,423 | 2,859 | 14.80% |
| BMW X5 | 6,250 | 5,328 | 922 | 14.80% |
| Tesla Model 3 (electric) | 13,159 | 11,235 | 1,924 | 14.60% |
| Citroen E-C4 (electric) | 2,680 | 2,301 | 379 | 14.40% |
| BMW 8 Series | 919 | 792 | 127 | 13.80% |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB (electric) | 2,199 | 1,899 | 300 | 13.60% |
| Citroen C4 | 4,244 | 3,673 | 571 | 13.50% |
| Dacia Jogger | 1,940 | 1,685 | 255 | 13.10% |
| Hyundai Bayon | 2,967 | 2,580 | 397 | 13.00% |
| BMW 3 Series | 9,486 | 8,262 | 1,224 | 12.90% |
| BMW X6 | 808 | 705 | 103 | 12.80% |
| BMW 5 Series | 5,379 | 4,707 | 672 | 12.50% |
| Vauxhall Astra | 3,207 | 2,807 | 400 | 12.50% |
| Mercedes-Benz E Class | 3,035 | 2,661 | 374 | 12.30% |
Real-world wear and tear can build faster than expected
Commenting on the findings, Matas Buzelis, business development manager at CarVertical, said: “People often assume a first MOT is a formality because the vehicle is ‘only three years old’, but these results show that real-world wear can build up faster than many drivers expect.
“A three year old car can look spotless on the forecourt, yet still fail on tyres, brakes, suspension or visibility faults.
“It’s also notable how prominently electric models feature.
“As EVs become more popular, the number of them reaching their first MOT will increase.
“We will see this trend reflected in the data. They’re assessed against the same inspection standards as any petrol or diesel car, but have fewer moving parts, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up in the long term.”