2018 Porsche macan — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Porsche macan passed 94.5% of its 20,600 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.7 percentage points better than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 10.3%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.6%) and lighting & signalling (1.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 356 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.7% versus 4.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (6.9% vs 5.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.6% | 736 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 301 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.7% | 151 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.6% | 124 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.4% | 80 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 62 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 356 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 248 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 149 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 128 |
| 5 | Washers | 81 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 73 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 16.8% | 3,450 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.6% | 1,357 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.8% | 993 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 455 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 397 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 174 |
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 | 8,380 | 4.4% |
| 30-60k | 9,789 | 5.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,147 | 8.1% |
| 90-120k | 252 | 14.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 18,493 | 5.4% |
| Diesel | 2,107 | 6.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,140 | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 4,201 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 4,100 | 4.6% |
| 2024 | 4,032 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 4,127 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 macan
On a 2018 macan, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (0.7% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Porsche macans pass their MOT?
94.5% of the 20,600 2018 Porsche macan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Porsche macan?
Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.5%).
Does the 2018 macan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.4% in the 0-30k band to 14.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,600 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.