2021 Porsche Panamera — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 457 MOT tests, the 2021 Porsche Panamera recorded a 91.9% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (9.7% fail rate), the 2021 Panamera comes out 1.6pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.0% of tests against 1.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and srs malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 10 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.0% | 32 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 7 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.3% | 6 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.4% | 2 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 2 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.4% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 5 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 4 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 1 |
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 | 19.5% | 89 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 25 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.0% | 23 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.4% | 20 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 3 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 3 |
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 | 272 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 170 | 11.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 230 | 9.1% |
| Hybrid | 227 | 7.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 220 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 219 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Panamera
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.0% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (1.3% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 2021 Porsche Panameras pass their MOT?
91.9% of the 457 2021 Porsche Panamera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Porsche Panamera?
Tyres, recorded in 7.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.5%).
Does the 2021 Panamera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 11.2% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 457 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.