1990 Rover Metro — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 539 MOT tests, the 1990 Rover Metro recorded an 81.6% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 21.8% of the time, so this is 3.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (9.3%) and emissions & environmental (8.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, non catalyst emissions and service brake imbalance — service brake performance alone was recorded 44 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1990 Metro fails 19.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 17.2% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.6 points.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 15.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.7% in 2021 to 17.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 9.3% | 50 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 8.7% | 47 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 40 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.8% | 31 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.0% | 27 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.1% | 22 |
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 | 44 |
| 2 | Non catalyst emissions | 36 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 29 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 17 |
| 5 | Washers | 16 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 16 |
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 | 15.0% | 81 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.4% | 67 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 58 |
| 4 | Tyres | 10.2% | 55 |
| 5 | Brakes | 8.3% | 45 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.2% | 28 |
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 | 131 | 19.9% |
| 30-60k | 261 | 18.0% |
| 60-90k | 122 | 17.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 120 | 21.7% |
| 2022 | 120 | 16.7% |
| 2023 | 101 | 15.8% |
| 2024 | 92 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 106 | 17.9% |
What to check before buying a 1990 Metro
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 9.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (9.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (8.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (7.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1990 Rover Metros pass their MOT?
81.6% of the 539 1990 Rover Metro MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1990 Rover Metro?
Brakes, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (8.7%).
Does the 1990 Metro get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.9% in the 0-30k band to 17.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 539 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.