Mitsubishi Ralliart MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 25 model years and 1,096 tests, the Mitsubishi Ralliart passes its MOT 91.2% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (24.8% fail rate), the Ralliart comes out 16.0pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.6%) and emissions & environmental (5.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 64 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 11.5% once past 120-150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.5% in 2021 to 4.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ralliart model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 201 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2000 | 195 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 110 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2003 | 46 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 59 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2005 | 56 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 71 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 37 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 48 | 93.8% | 6.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 45 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2018 | 37 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Steering |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 61 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 56 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.4% | 26 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 20 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.8% | 20 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 19 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.1% | 12 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.8% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 64 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 29 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 24 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 23 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 19 |
| 6 | Emissions not tested | 14 |
| 7 | Washers | 14 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 13 |
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 | 11.9% | 131 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.6% | 127 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.7% | 84 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.9% | 76 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.7% | 62 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.8% | 31 |
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 | 59 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 273 | 8.8% |
| 60-90k | 402 | 7.5% |
| 90-120k | 220 | 9.1% |
| 120-150k | 104 | 11.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 253 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 221 | 5.9% |
| 2023 | 222 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 211 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 189 | 4.8% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Ralliart
- Lighting & signalling (5.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (5.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (2.4% 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 Ralliart?
91.2% of the 1,096 Mitsubishi Ralliart MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.8% fail rate, across model years 1996–2020.
What does the Mitsubishi Ralliart most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.6% of tests, then emissions & environmental (5.1%).
How much does mileage affect Ralliart MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 11.5% for 120-150k, a 4.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,096 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.