2014 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Bentley Continental passed 94.9% of its 3,971 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 13.2% of the time, so this is 8.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.7%) and lighting & signalling (1.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, washers and tread depth — registration plates alone was recorded 36 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 9.6% once past 60-90k — 2.6× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 11.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.7% | 109 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 58 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.8% | 32 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.8% | 30 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.5% | 22 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 20 |
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 | 36 |
| 2 | Washers | 24 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 21 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 17 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 16 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
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 | 11.1% | 439 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.5% | 141 |
| 3 | Suspension | 1.7% | 69 |
| 4 | Other defects | 1.6% | 63 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 46 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.0% | 41 |
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 | 1,802 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,853 | 5.9% |
| 60-90k | 293 | 9.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 836 | 4.5% |
| 2022 | 804 | 6.1% |
| 2023 | 794 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 768 | 4.6% |
| 2025 | 769 | 5.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Continental
On a 2014 Continental, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 2.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (2.7% 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 (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (0.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2014 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
94.9% of the 3,971 2014 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 2.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.5%).
Does the 2014 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.6% in the 0-30k band to 9.6% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,971 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.