1997 Rover 620 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 669 MOT tests, the 1997 Rover 620 recorded a 69.8% pass rate. That is 5.0 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.2%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (13.9%) and lighting & signalling (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, rbt (sp) and ball joint dust cover — joints alone was recorded 49 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 26.1% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 35.4% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.8% in 2021 to 28.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.9% | 93 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 82 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.1% | 81 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.1% | 74 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 40 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.2% | 35 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 49 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 46 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 43 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 42 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 40 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 29 |
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 | 33.2% | 222 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.4% | 217 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 25.0% | 167 |
| 4 | Other defects | 21.8% | 146 |
| 5 | Tyres | 20.8% | 139 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.7% | 132 |
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 | 46 | 26.1% |
| 60-90k | 178 | 28.1% |
| 90-120k | 229 | 29.7% |
| 120-150k | 87 | 31.0% |
| 150k+ | 113 | 35.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 596 | 30.4% |
| Diesel | 73 | 28.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 185 | 30.8% |
| 2022 | 153 | 30.1% |
| 2023 | 129 | 31.0% |
| 2024 | 106 | 30.2% |
| 2025 | 96 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 1997 620
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (13.9% 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 (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.1% 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
How many 1997 Rover 620s pass their MOT?
69.8% of the 669 1997 Rover 620 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Rover 620?
Brakes, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.3%).
Does the 1997 620 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.1% in the 30-60k band to 35.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 669 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.