2002 TVR Tuscan — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2002 TVR Tuscan passed 92.3% of its 715 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.4% of the time, so this is 19.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (3.8%) and lighting & signalling (2.9%) 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 29 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2002 Tuscan fails 5.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.3% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.6 points.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.6% in 2021 to 6.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 27 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 21 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.7% | 19 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 14 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.8% | 6 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 5 |
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 | 29 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 22 |
| 3 | Washers | 16 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 9 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 8 |
| 6 | Emissions not tested | 7 |
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 | 5.9% | 42 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 38 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.5% | 32 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 22 |
| 5 | Steering | 2.4% | 17 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 10 |
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 | 195 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 401 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 97 | 8.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 157 | 9.6% |
| 2022 | 143 | 10.5% |
| 2023 | 140 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 137 | 5.8% |
| 2025 | 138 | 6.5% |
What to check before buying a 2002 Tuscan
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 3.8% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (3.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (2.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.7% 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
How many 2002 TVR Tuscans pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 715 2002 TVR Tuscan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 TVR Tuscan?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2002 Tuscan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 8.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 715 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.