Mitsubishi Colt MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mitsubishi Colt appears in 164,852 MOT tests spanning model years 1985–2021, and 74.0% of them passed. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (26.6% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
Best and worst Colt years
Ranked across Colt 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
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2013 cars pass 82.8% of the time while 2004 cars manage 71.3%, a 11.5-point spread.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 17.9% of all tests — 6.9 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 12,109 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.7% once past 150k — 2.6× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (29.4% vs 25.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Colt model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 31 | 64.5% | 35.5% | Visibility |
| 1988 | 47 | 85.1% | 14.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1989 | 32 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Brakes |
| 1990 | 51 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 78 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 39 | 64.1% | 35.9% | Suspension |
| 1993 | 37 | 64.9% | 35.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 48 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Suspension |
| 1995 | 56 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 224 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 322 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 389 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 321 | 67.9% | 32.1% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 397 | 68.5% | 31.5% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 287 | 66.9% | 33.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 508 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 317 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 3,257 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 15,073 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 20,491 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 26,715 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 30,399 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 26,154 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 16,835 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 10,404 | 79.8% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 9,088 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 3,116 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 38 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 29,551 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.1% | 18,222 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 11,545 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.9% | 11,445 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.0% | 9,871 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.8% | 9,503 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 6,470 |
| 8 | Steering | 3.7% | 6,112 |
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 | 12,109 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 10,401 |
| 3 | Wipers | 10,045 |
| 4 | Joints | 8,806 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 7,037 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 6,861 |
| 7 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 5,776 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 5,535 |
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 | 29.4% | 48,497 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.5% | 47,046 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.0% | 34,585 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 22,549 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.3% | 16,946 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.8% | 16,195 |
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 | 7,367 | 13.2% |
| 30-60k | 37,043 | 19.7% |
| 60-90k | 57,965 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 41,543 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 15,842 | 32.8% |
| 150k+ | 5,037 | 34.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 151,631 | 25.7% |
| Diesel | 13,207 | 29.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 39,611 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 36,489 | 25.3% |
| 2023 | 33,482 | 26.3% |
| 2024 | 29,587 | 27.1% |
| 2025 | 25,683 | 27.5% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Colt
- Lighting & signalling (17.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.1% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.0% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Colt?
74.0% of the 164,852 Mitsubishi Colt MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.0% fail rate, across model years 1985–2021.
What does the Mitsubishi Colt most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.9% of tests, then suspension (11.1%).
Which Colt years are best and worst for MOT results?
2013 has the best pass rate at 82.8% and 2004 the weakest at 71.3%, from 3,116 and 3,257 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Colt MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.7% for 150k+, a 21.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Colt more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 25.7% of the time against 29.4% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 164,852 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.