TVR Tuscan MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 32 model years and 4,373 tests, the TVR Tuscan passes its MOT 92.5% of the time. That is 19.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and emissions & environmental (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 199 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Tuscan fails 7.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.7% at 120-150k, a spread of only 2.6 points.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.2% in 2021 to 7.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Tuscan model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 859 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 1,029 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2002 | 715 | 92.3% | 7.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2003 | 603 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 259 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 454 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 310 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 44 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 46 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Emissions & environmental |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 188 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 145 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.4% | 106 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 71 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 47 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 47 |
| 7 | Steering | 0.7% | 31 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.5% | 20 |
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 | 199 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 103 |
| 3 | Washers | 98 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 51 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 41 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 31 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 31 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 30 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 254 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.6% | 200 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.5% | 196 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 133 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 80 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.8% | 80 |
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 | 1,245 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 2,406 | 6.9% |
| 60-90k | 566 | 8.5% |
| 90-120k | 75 | 20.0% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 9.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 928 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 886 | 7.6% |
| 2023 | 869 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 834 | 6.5% |
| 2025 | 856 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a TVR Tuscan
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (2.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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
What is the MOT pass rate for the TVR Tuscan?
92.5% of the 4,373 TVR Tuscan MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.5% fail rate, across model years 1985–2016.
What does the TVR Tuscan most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, then emissions & environmental (3.3%).
How much does mileage affect Tuscan MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 9.7% for 120-150k, a 2.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,373 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.