Mitsubishi Outlander MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 28 model years and 404,353 tests, the Mitsubishi Outlander passes its MOT 84.7% of the time. That is effectively the same as mid-size SUVs of a similar age (15.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Outlander years
Ranked across Outlander 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: 2019 cars pass 91.3% of the time while 2007 cars manage 68.4%, a 22.8-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and brakes (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, track rod end and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 11,141 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.3% once past 150k — 3.5× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 10.1pp more often than hybrid ones (21.7% vs 11.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 23.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Outlander model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 185 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 1,509 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,200 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 660 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 9,329 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 12,152 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 9,452 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 10,419 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 9,010 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 7,494 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 13,427 | 77.8% | 22.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 43,567 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 75,723 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 63,299 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 50,030 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 59,426 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 31,971 | 91.3% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 4,523 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 959 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 25,449 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 22,066 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.8% | 19,385 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.3% | 17,421 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 12,800 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.4% | 9,576 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 5,360 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 4,855 |
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 | 11,141 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 10,839 |
| 3 | Wipers | 10,508 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 9,312 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 9,303 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 8,392 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 6,465 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 6,203 |
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 | 23.4% | 94,496 |
| 2 | Tyres | 23.1% | 93,550 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.0% | 56,742 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.3% | 37,608 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 19,080 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.0% | 16,110 |
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 | 38,430 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 116,703 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 113,565 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 73,349 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 38,473 | 23.6% |
| 150k+ | 23,784 | 24.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 236,999 | 11.7% |
| Diesel | 129,356 | 21.7% |
| Electric | 19,838 | 16.8% |
| Petrol | 18,107 | 16.4% |
| Other | 45 | 13.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 75,415 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 82,654 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 83,602 | 15.4% |
| 2024 | 82,540 | 16.3% |
| 2025 | 80,142 | 17.2% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Outlander
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.5% 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 (4.8% 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.
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 Outlander?
84.7% of the 404,353 Mitsubishi Outlander MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.3% fail rate, across model years 1996–2023.
What does the Mitsubishi Outlander most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, then brakes (5.5%).
Which Outlander years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 91.3% and 2007 the weakest at 68.4%, from 31,971 and 9,329 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Outlander MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.3% for 150k+, a 17.4-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Outlander more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 11.7% of the time against 21.7% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 404,353 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.