Rover 45 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Rover 45 appears in 18,034 MOT tests spanning model years 2000–2012, and 71.3% of them passed. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (28.0% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are body, structure & corrosion, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst 45 years
Ranked across 45 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2004 cars pass 72.4% of the time while 2000 cars manage 69.3%, a 3.1-point spread.
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (12.5%) and lighting & signalling (12.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, joints and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 2,163 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 19.4% in the 0-30k band and 35.5% in the 150k+ band, a 16.1-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.7pp more often than petrol ones (30.1% vs 28.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 34.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every 45 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,057 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 2,827 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 3,235 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 3,785 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 3,965 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 1,986 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 158 | 74.7% | 25.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.5% | 2,253 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.4% | 2,229 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.9% | 2,141 |
| 4 | Brakes | 10.3% | 1,859 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.7% | 1,021 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.2% | 931 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.8% | 859 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.6% | 645 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,163 |
| 2 | Joints | 1,272 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 973 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 956 |
| 5 | Wipers | 754 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 746 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 656 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 649 |
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 | 34.7% | 6,265 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.4% | 5,487 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.5% | 4,593 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.3% | 4,018 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.6% | 2,265 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 2,230 |
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 | 744 | 19.4% |
| 30-60k | 5,177 | 25.4% |
| 60-90k | 6,441 | 28.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,507 | 31.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,481 | 33.7% |
| 150k+ | 671 | 35.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 15,332 | 28.4% |
| Diesel | 2,702 | 30.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,813 | 29.2% |
| 2022 | 4,407 | 28.5% |
| 2023 | 3,305 | 28.0% |
| 2024 | 2,589 | 29.1% |
| 2025 | 1,920 | 27.9% |
What to check before buying a Rover 45
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.5% 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+.
- Lighting & signalling (12.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 45?
71.3% of the 18,034 Rover 45 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.7% fail rate, across model years 2000–2012.
What does the Rover 45 most often fail its MOT on?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 12.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (12.4%).
Which 45 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2004 has the best pass rate at 72.4% and 2000 the weakest at 69.3%, from 3,965 and 2,057 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 45 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 19.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 35.5% for 150k+, a 16.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 45 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 28.4% of the time against 30.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,034 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.