1995 Rover 220 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1995 Rover 220 passed 81.0% of its 379 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.2%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.5%) and lighting & signalling (8.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, service brake performance and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 31 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.1% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 31.1% once past 120-150k — 5.1× the risk.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 29.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.1% in 2021 to 18.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.5% | 40 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 32 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 22 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.8% | 22 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.5% | 17 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.7% | 14 |
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 | 31 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 26 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 22 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 18 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 15 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 12 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 29.0% | 110 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.7% | 71 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.8% | 56 |
| 4 | Tyres | 14.2% | 54 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.2% | 50 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 40 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 33 | 6.1% |
| 60-90k | 108 | 16.7% |
| 90-120k | 130 | 23.1% |
| 120-150k | 61 | 31.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 58 | 24.1% |
| 2022 | 84 | 17.9% |
| 2023 | 78 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 83 | 14.5% |
| 2025 | 76 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 1995 220
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 10.5% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (10.5% 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.
- 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.
- Emissions & environmental (5.8% 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
How many 1995 Rover 220s pass their MOT?
81.0% of the 379 1995 Rover 220 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Rover 220?
Brakes, recorded in 10.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.4%).
Does the 1995 220 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 30-60k band to 31.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 379 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.