Daihatsu Sirion MOT pass rate & common failures
42,223 MOT tests on the Daihatsu Sirion (1998–2021) give it a 76.2% pass rate. That is 3.9 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.7%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst Sirion years
Ranked across Sirion years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 79.3% of 2009 examples pass against 73.1% of 2005 ones.
No single area dominates — suspension (12.8%) and lighting & signalling (11.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, headlamp aim and wipers — ball joint alone was recorded 3,409 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.6% in the 0-30k band and 34.5% in the 150k+ band, a 22.9-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 21.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sirion model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 151 | 64.2% | 35.8% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1999 | 408 | 67.7% | 32.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2000 | 394 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 552 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 918 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 916 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 766 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 5,194 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 5,139 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 9,253 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 12,084 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 5,722 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 693 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.8% | 5,408 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 4,640 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.4% | 3,108 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.4% | 2,276 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 2,026 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.3% | 1,798 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 1,550 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.3% | 985 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 3,409 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,022 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,997 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,724 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,572 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,478 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 1,257 |
| 8 | Linkage ball joints | 1,248 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.1% | 15,234 |
| 2 | Brakes | 29.0% | 12,255 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.7% | 10,413 |
| 4 | Other defects | 16.1% | 6,792 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 5,750 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.3% | 5,626 |
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 | 2,894 | 11.6% |
| 30-60k | 13,930 | 19.6% |
| 60-90k | 14,956 | 25.0% |
| 90-120k | 7,678 | 30.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,147 | 32.6% |
| 150k+ | 606 | 34.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,779 | 21.7% |
| 2022 | 9,224 | 23.1% |
| 2023 | 8,558 | 23.8% |
| 2024 | 7,814 | 25.9% |
| 2025 | 6,848 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a Daihatsu Sirion
- Suspension (12.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Daihatsu Sirion?
76.2% of the 42,223 Daihatsu Sirion MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 23.8% fail rate, across model years 1998–2021.
What does the Daihatsu Sirion most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 12.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (11.0%).
Which Sirion years are best and worst for MOT results?
2009 has the best pass rate at 79.3% and 2005 the weakest at 73.1%, from 5,722 and 5,194 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Sirion MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.5% for 150k+, a 22.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 42,223 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.