2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce — MOT failures & pass rate
1,921 MOT tests on the 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce are in this dataset, and 93.4% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2021 Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce comes out 2.1pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (3.3%) and tyres (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 64 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 3.3% | 63 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.6% | 50 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 38 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 28 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 13 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 64 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 19 |
| 4 | Washers | 17 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 11 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 9 |
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 | 22.2% | 427 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.4% | 162 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.1% | 78 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 67 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 32 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 15 |
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 | 1,516 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 382 | 12.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 918 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 1,001 | 7.8% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 3.3% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (3.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- 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 (2.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Prestige Tces pass their MOT?
93.4% of the 1,921 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce?
Visibility, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by tyres (2.6%).
Does the 2021 Sandero Stepway Prestige Tce get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 12.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,921 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.