Reliant Scimitar MOT pass rate & common failures
The Reliant Scimitar appears in 1,848 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2015, and 83.1% of them passed. That is 3.1 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.5% of all tests — 4.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and non catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 91 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Scimitar fails 18.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 18.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.5 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.6% in 2021 to 18.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Scimitar model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 147 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1981 | 118 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1982 | 61 | 83.6% | 16.4% | Visibility |
| 1983 | 97 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 139 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 320 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 239 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 191 | 83.8% | 16.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 118 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 150 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 75 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 66 | 84.9% | 15.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 42 | 81.0% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 212 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.6% | 121 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 93 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.0% | 92 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 70 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.7% | 69 |
| 7 | Steering | 2.9% | 53 |
| 8 | Tyres | 0.9% | 17 |
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 | 91 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 72 |
| 3 | Non catalyst emissions | 63 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 51 |
| 5 | Washers | 47 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 44 |
| 7 | Service brake imbalance | 41 |
| 8 | Individual direction indicators | 40 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 24.9% | 460 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 17.6% | 325 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.9% | 276 |
| 4 | Steering | 9.6% | 178 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.7% | 142 |
| 6 | Tyres | 7.6% | 140 |
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 | 443 | 18.3% |
| 30-60k | 368 | 14.7% |
| 60-90k | 680 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 246 | 17.9% |
| 120-150k | 78 | 7.7% |
| 150k+ | 32 | 18.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 438 | 19.6% |
| 2022 | 399 | 18.3% |
| 2023 | 373 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 339 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 299 | 18.1% |
What to check before buying a Reliant Scimitar
- Lighting & signalling (11.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.6% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (5.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Reliant Scimitar?
83.1% of the 1,848 Reliant Scimitar MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.9% fail rate, across model years 1980–2015.
What does the Reliant Scimitar most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.5% of tests, then brakes (6.6%).
How much does mileage affect Scimitar MOT results?
Fail rates run at 18.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.8% for 150k+, a 0.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,848 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.