2017 Porsche Panamera — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Porsche Panamera passed 92.4% of its 5,286 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (11.6% fail rate), the 2017 Panamera comes out 4.0pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 5.9% of all tests — 4.9 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, registration plates and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 121 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 Panamera fails 6.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.3% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.7 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.0% of the time against 8.1% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 309 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 50 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.7% | 37 |
| 4 | Other defects | 0.7% | 36 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.5% | 27 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 26 |
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 | 121 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 55 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 35 |
| 4 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 29 |
| 5 | Washers | 24 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 20 |
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 | 17.4% | 920 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 271 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.1% | 218 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.4% | 126 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 32 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 30 |
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 | 1,439 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 2,645 | 7.4% |
| 60-90k | 994 | 9.0% |
| 90-120k | 164 | 7.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 2,402 | 8.1% |
| Petrol | 2,206 | 7.0% |
| Diesel | 678 | 7.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,074 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 1,068 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 1,070 | 8.5% |
| 2024 | 1,045 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 1,029 | 7.8% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Panamera
On a 2017 Panamera, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.9% 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 (0.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (0.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2017 Porsche Panameras pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 5,286 2017 Porsche Panamera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Porsche Panamera?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (0.9%).
Does the 2017 Panamera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 7.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,286 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.