Rover 214 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Rover 214 appears in 4,801 MOT tests spanning model years 1989–2021, and 73.6% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 24.7% of the time, so this is 1.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (11.1%) and lighting & signalling (10.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 676 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.3% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every 214 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 31 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Suspension |
| 1990 | 91 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Suspension |
| 1991 | 167 | 76.0% | 23.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1992 | 272 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1993 | 369 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 542 | 74.7% | 25.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1995 | 767 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1996 | 316 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 512 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 859 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 815 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 53 | 79.3% | 20.8% | Body, structure & corrosion |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 11.1% | 533 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 491 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 409 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.8% | 372 |
| 5 | Brakes | 7.6% | 365 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 247 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.9% | 188 |
| 8 | Tyres | 3.8% | 182 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 676 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 362 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 233 |
| 4 | Wipers | 221 |
| 5 | Joints | 191 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 177 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 143 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 139 |
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 | 24.6% | 1,183 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.6% | 1,085 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.6% | 892 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 18.4% | 886 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.1% | 867 |
| 6 | Other defects | 16.5% | 791 |
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 | 352 | 13.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,630 | 24.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,559 | 27.5% |
| 90-120k | 715 | 31.2% |
| 120-150k | 344 | 30.8% |
| 150k+ | 198 | 34.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,344 | 25.0% |
| 2022 | 1,148 | 29.0% |
| 2023 | 917 | 25.9% |
| 2024 | 757 | 25.6% |
| 2025 | 635 | 26.0% |
What to check before buying a Rover 214
- Emissions & environmental (11.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (10.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.5% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Rover 214?
73.6% of the 4,801 Rover 214 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.4% fail rate, across model years 1989–2021.
What does the Rover 214 most often fail its MOT on?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 11.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (10.2%).
How much does mileage affect 214 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.3% for 150k+, a 20.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,801 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.