1995 Rover 114 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1995 Rover 114 passed 77.8% of its 334 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 24.3% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (9.3%) and emissions & environmental (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, catalyst emissions and service brake imbalance — service brake performance alone was recorded 27 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1995 114 fails 17.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 15.9% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.4 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.0% in 2021 to 11.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 9.3% | 31 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 31 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 28 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 22 |
| 5 | Suspension | 5.7% | 19 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.2% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 27 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 24 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 15 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 12 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 11 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 11 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 21.6% | 72 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.5% | 65 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.2% | 64 |
| 4 | Tyres | 11.4% | 38 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 9.6% | 32 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.4% | 28 |
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 | 81 | 17.3% |
| 30-60k | 168 | 25.0% |
| 60-90k | 63 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77 | 26.0% |
| 2022 | 74 | 24.3% |
| 2023 | 68 | 25.0% |
| 2024 | 62 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 53 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 1995 114
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 9.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (9.3% 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 (9.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (8.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 1995 Rover 114s pass their MOT?
77.8% of the 334 1995 Rover 114 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Rover 114?
Brakes, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (9.3%).
Does the 1995 114 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.3% in the 0-30k band to 15.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 334 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.