Rover 414 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 11 model years and 1,330 tests, the Rover 414 passes its MOT 72.3% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 25.0% of the time, so this is 2.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.3%) and emissions & environmental (11.1%) 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 171 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.9% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 414 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1993 | 161 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 106 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1995 | 114 | 77.2% | 22.8% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1996 | 72 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1997 | 134 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 238 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 369 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 48 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Body, structure & corrosion |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 150 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 11.1% | 148 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.0% | 133 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.9% | 118 |
| 5 | Suspension | 8.3% | 111 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 74 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.2% | 43 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.4% | 32 |
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 | 171 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 133 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 75 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
| 5 | Joints | 57 |
| 6 | Wipers | 56 |
| 7 | Prescribed areas | 51 |
| 8 | Service brake imbalance | 49 |
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 | 30.1% | 400 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.1% | 334 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.9% | 304 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 21.1% | 280 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 19.4% | 258 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.8% | 183 |
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 | 67 | 19.4% |
| 30-60k | 385 | 28.6% |
| 60-90k | 456 | 28.3% |
| 90-120k | 245 | 25.3% |
| 120-150k | 118 | 28.8% |
| 150k+ | 59 | 33.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 365 | 25.8% |
| 2022 | 304 | 27.3% |
| 2023 | 264 | 28.4% |
| 2024 | 215 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 182 | 27.5% |
What to check before buying a Rover 414
- Lighting & signalling (11.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.0% 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 414?
72.3% of the 1,330 Rover 414 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.7% fail rate, across model years 1990–2000.
What does the Rover 414 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.3% of tests, then emissions & environmental (11.1%).
How much does mileage affect 414 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 19.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.9% for 150k+, a 14.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,330 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.