Mitsubishi Asx MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mitsubishi Asx appears in 159,762 MOT tests spanning model years 2010–2021, and 84.2% of them passed. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 17.1% of the time, so this is 1.3pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Asx years
Ranked across Asx 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 — 92.7% of 2019 examples pass against 75.6% of 2010 ones.
No single area dominates — brakes (6.9%) and suspension (5.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, rigid brake pipes and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 5,225 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.1% once past 150k — 4.5× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.8pp more often than petrol ones (17.0% vs 14.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 29.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Asx model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10,800 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 13,541 | 78.4% | 21.6% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 13,126 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 15,081 | 80.2% | 19.8% | Brakes |
| 2014 | 22,821 | 81.7% | 18.4% | Brakes |
| 2015 | 26,493 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Brakes |
| 2016 | 18,065 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 22,340 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Brakes |
| 2018 | 12,045 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Visibility |
| 2019 | 4,995 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 443 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 6.9% | 11,093 |
| 2 | Suspension | 5.2% | 8,287 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 6,833 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 5,653 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.5% | 5,552 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.7% | 2,734 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 2,395 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 2,308 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 5,225 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 4,883 |
| 3 | Wipers | 4,650 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 4,054 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 3,127 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 2,985 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 2,902 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 2,564 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 29.5% | 47,058 |
| 2 | Tyres | 23.5% | 37,630 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.8% | 25,244 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.2% | 13,085 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 5,710 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 5,636 |
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 | 19,233 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 51,214 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 47,168 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 27,881 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 10,769 | 26.2% |
| 150k+ | 3,483 | 26.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 91,032 | 17.0% |
| Petrol | 68,718 | 14.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,863 | 12.7% |
| 2022 | 32,305 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 32,457 | 15.5% |
| 2024 | 32,254 | 17.6% |
| 2025 | 31,883 | 19.0% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Asx
- Brakes (6.9% 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.
- Suspension (5.2% 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 (4.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mitsubishi Asx?
84.2% of the 159,762 Mitsubishi Asx MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.8% fail rate, across model years 2010–2021.
What does the Mitsubishi Asx most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 6.9% of tests, then suspension (5.2%).
Which Asx years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 92.7% and 2010 the weakest at 75.6%, from 4,995 and 10,800 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Asx MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.1% for 150k+, a 20.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Asx more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 14.2% of the time against 17.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 159,762 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.