Coleman Milne Norwood MOT pass rate & common failures
1,451 MOT tests on the Coleman Milne Norwood (2016–2023) give it an 83.8% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (11.3% fail rate), the Norwood comes out 4.9pp worse. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 9.7% of all tests — 3.0 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 98 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Norwood fails 13.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 14.4% at 60-90k, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 28.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Norwood model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 246 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 247 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 392 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 278 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 183 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 62 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 40 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 9.7% | 141 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 97 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.5% | 51 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 41 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.7% | 24 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.4% | 20 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 6 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.1% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 98 |
| 2 | Wipers | 48 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 44 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 23 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 22 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 19 |
| 7 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 18 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 16 |
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 | 28.4% | 412 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 151 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.4% | 49 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 33 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.1% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.9% | 28 |
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 | 774 | 13.8% |
| 30-60k | 568 | 19.5% |
| 60-90k | 97 | 14.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 965 | 15.5% |
| Diesel | 278 | 18.4% |
| Hybrid | 208 | 16.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 182 | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 262 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 305 | 15.1% |
| 2024 | 338 | 16.9% |
| 2025 | 364 | 15.7% |
What to check before buying a Coleman Milne Norwood
- Tyres (9.7% 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 (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 Coleman Milne Norwood?
83.8% of the 1,451 Coleman Milne Norwood MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.2% fail rate, across model years 2016–2023.
What does the Coleman Milne Norwood most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 9.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (6.7%).
How much does mileage affect Norwood MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.4% for 60-90k, a 0.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,451 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.