2018 Porsche Panamera — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,247 MOT tests, the 2018 Porsche Panamera recorded a 91.9% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (10.8% fail rate), the 2018 Panamera comes out 2.7pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 6.5% of tests against 1.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and registration plates — tread depth alone was recorded 93 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.3% versus 7.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 6.9% fail against 8.8% for hybrid, a 2.0-point gap across 4,235 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.5% | 276 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 42 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.5% | 23 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.5% | 20 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.4% | 18 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 17 |
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 | 93 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 37 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 14 |
| 6 | Washers | 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 | Tyres | 17.1% | 726 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 189 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.9% | 165 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 115 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 28 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 20 |
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 | 1,619 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,029 | 8.4% |
| 60-90k | 516 | 8.3% |
| 90-120k | 70 | 14.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 2,633 | 8.8% |
| Petrol | 1,602 | 6.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 911 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 881 | 6.5% |
| 2023 | 859 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 783 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 813 | 7.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Panamera
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.5% 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 (1.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (0.5% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
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 Panameras pass their MOT?
91.9% of the 4,247 2018 Porsche Panamera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Porsche Panamera?
Tyres, recorded in 6.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.0%).
Does the 2018 Panamera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.5% in the 0-30k band to 14.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,247 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.