Rover Metro MOT pass rate & common failures
The Rover Metro appears in 4,495 MOT tests spanning model years 1981–2020, and 76.1% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 22.8% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (11.2%) and lighting & signalling (10.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, catalyst emissions and component mounting prescribed areas — service brake performance alone was recorded 387 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.8% versus 19.9%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 16.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.2% in 2021 to 21.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Metro model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 37 | 78.4% | 21.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 71 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Suspension |
| 1984 | 56 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 49 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1987 | 66 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 77 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 264 | 78.0% | 22.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 539 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 590 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1992 | 558 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1993 | 736 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 1,194 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1995 | 94 | 68.1% | 31.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1996 | 63 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 53 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 11.2% | 504 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 456 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.0% | 449 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.3% | 375 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.6% | 344 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.7% | 211 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.5% | 113 |
| 8 | Tyres | 2.4% | 109 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 387 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 365 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 305 |
| 4 | Non catalyst emissions | 248 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 208 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 170 |
| 7 | Prescribed areas | 138 |
| 8 | Exhaust system | 135 |
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 | 16.7% | 749 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.8% | 708 |
| 3 | Tyres | 15.2% | 684 |
| 4 | Brakes | 13.3% | 598 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 10.7% | 480 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.5% | 336 |
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 | 992 | 19.9% |
| 30-60k | 2,237 | 24.5% |
| 60-90k | 967 | 26.0% |
| 90-120k | 220 | 25.9% |
| 120-150k | 71 | 26.8% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,407 | 23.9% |
| Diesel | 86 | 24.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,058 | 25.2% |
| 2022 | 1,009 | 24.4% |
| 2023 | 899 | 23.1% |
| 2024 | 788 | 24.2% |
| 2025 | 741 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a Rover Metro
- Emissions & environmental (11.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (10.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.0% 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.
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 Metro?
76.1% of the 4,495 Rover Metro MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 23.9% fail rate, across model years 1981–2020.
What does the Rover Metro most often fail its MOT on?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 11.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (10.1%).
How much does mileage affect Metro MOT results?
Fail rates run at 19.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.8% for 120-150k, a 6.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,495 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.