Porsche Boxster MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 28 model years and 182,539 tests, the Porsche Boxster passes its MOT 86.2% of the time. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 19.3% of the time, so this is 5.5pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
Best and worst Boxster years
Ranked across Boxster 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 — 95.8% of 2019 examples pass against 78.7% of 1998 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.1%) and emissions & environmental (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, rigid brake pipes and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 6,848 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 4.4% in the 0-30k band and 26.2% in the 150k+ band, a 21.8-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 22.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Boxster model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 95 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 2,426 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 4,707 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 6,482 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 11,469 | 80.1% | 19.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 12,721 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 12,980 | 80.2% | 19.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 14,717 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 12,175 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 18,747 | 84.7% | 15.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 10,711 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 8,975 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 5,941 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 4,507 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 4,258 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 4,060 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 5,694 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 6,724 | 93.6% | 6.4% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 6,335 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 5,620 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 6,448 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 5,230 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 5,428 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 3,786 | 95.8% | 4.3% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 1,426 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 579 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 286 | 97.5% | 2.5% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 11,161 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 7,082 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.8% | 6,837 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.6% | 6,655 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.7% | 4,981 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 3,849 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 2,932 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.7% | 1,266 |
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 | 6,848 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 5,839 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5,640 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 3,504 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 3,500 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 2,966 |
| 7 | Wipers | 2,731 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 2,704 |
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 | 22.8% | 41,521 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.1% | 31,230 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.3% | 18,766 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.5% | 10,072 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 10,047 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 9,405 |
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 | 32,875 | 4.4% |
| 30-60k | 51,142 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 53,094 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 32,387 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 10,139 | 24.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,698 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,956 | 14.2% |
| 2022 | 37,212 | 13.8% |
| 2023 | 36,956 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 35,735 | 13.8% |
| 2025 | 35,680 | 13.4% |
What to check before buying a Porsche Boxster
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (3.8% 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 Porsche Boxster?
86.2% of the 182,539 Porsche Boxster MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.8% fail rate, across model years 1996–2023.
What does the Porsche Boxster most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests, then emissions & environmental (3.9%).
Which Boxster years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 95.8% and 1998 the weakest at 78.7%, from 3,786 and 4,707 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Boxster MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.2% for 150k+, a 21.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 182,539 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.