Bentley Bentayga MOT pass rate & common failures
The Bentley Bentayga appears in 11,380 MOT tests spanning model years 2015–2023, and 96.0% of them passed. That is 6.7 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 10.6%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.6%) and lighting & signalling (0.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, tread depth and headlamp aim — registration plates alone was recorded 115 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Bentayga fails 3.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 3.5% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.1 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 4.0% of the time against 4.0% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Bentayga model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,024 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 2,946 | 95.8% | 4.2% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 2,806 | 96.0% | 4.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 1,334 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 1,106 | 96.6% | 3.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 802 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 350 | 96.6% | 3.4% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.6% | 301 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 75 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.7% | 75 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 62 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.3% | 37 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.3% | 32 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.3% | 30 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 18 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 115 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 61 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 52 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 33 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 31 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 27 |
| 7 | Washers | 24 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 20 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 10.7% | 1,214 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.9% | 336 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.6% | 299 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.3% | 261 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 167 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.2% | 25 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 5,341 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 4,896 | 4.1% |
| 60-90k | 995 | 5.2% |
| 90-120k | 114 | 3.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 8,542 | 4.0% |
| Diesel | 2,830 | 4.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,639 | 4.2% |
| 2022 | 1,965 | 4.1% |
| 2023 | 2,264 | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 2,610 | 3.8% |
| 2025 | 2,902 | 3.8% |
What to check before buying a Bentley Bentayga
- Tyres (2.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (0.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (0.7% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Bentley Bentayga?
96.0% of the 11,380 Bentley Bentayga MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 4.0% fail rate, across model years 2015–2023.
What does the Bentley Bentayga most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 2.6% of tests, then lighting & signalling (0.7%).
How much does mileage affect Bentayga MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 3.5% for 90-120k, a 0.1-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Bentayga more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 4.0% of the time against 4.0% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,380 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.