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Mitsubishi Lancer MOT fail rate by age and year

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 37,292 MOT tests · Updated

At 14 years, 39.4% of Mitsubishi Lancer MOT tests ended in a fail (adjusted to typical mileage), against 40.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 14 (5,815 MOT tests) [1].

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  • First used 2009: 2.8 pts below cars the same age, 3,842 MOT tests
  • First used 2010: 1.4 pts above cars the same age, 6,994 MOT tests
  • Steering: fails 2.5–2.9× as often as cars the same age at 14 years, 498 of 5,815 MOT tests
  • Mileage: median 94,784 miles at 14 years against 96,840 for all class 4 vehicles, 5,815 MOT tests

Which engine and year a car has decides which of these apply. Check the reg first.

Figures are for the model, not one car, and compare with all class 4 vehicles tested at 14 in the same test year.

Fail rate at 14 years, typical mileage
39.4%
vs 40.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 14
5,815 MOT tests
Fail rate at 14 years, raw
38.6%
vs 40.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 14
5,815 MOT tests
Rank at 14 years
78 of 175
1 = fewest fails at typical mileage, among models with 5,000+ MOT tests at 14
5,815 MOT tests
Median mileage at 14 years
94,784 mi
vs 96,840 mi for all class 4 vehicles
5,815 MOT tests

Mitsubishi Lancer MOT fail rate by age

Each line follows the cars first used in one year across the ages they were tested at from 2022 to 2025, so a line never mixes a 2005 car with a 2015 one. 37k DVSA MOT tests in all (37,292).

Mitsubishi Lancer MOT fail rate by age, one line per first-use yearEach line is the cars first used in one year, followed over the ages they were tested in 2022 to 2025. The dashed line is all class 4 vehicles at each age.Over 18: survivors only0%13%25%38%50%111213141516171819yearsAll class 4 vehiclesFirst used 2005: 33.9% at 17, 31.3% at 18, 31.8% at 19First used 2006: 38.6% at 16, 36.7% at 17First used 2007: 36.2% at 15First used 2008: 35.4% at 14, 35.9% at 15, 36.2% at 16, 35.8% at 17First used 2009: 37.5% at 13, 38.2% at 14, 37.2% at 15First used 2010: 40.3% at 12, 42.9% at 13, 40.6% at 14, 38.6% at 15First used 2011: 38.7% at 11, 40.0% at 12, 40.6% at 13, 41.5% at 1420112005
Mitsubishi Lancer, one line per first-use year (darker = newer) all class 4 vehicles at the same age
Mitsubishi Lancer: share of MOT tests that failed, by age. Only ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests. 'Typical mileage' is n/a where the model's mileage bands cover less than 80% of the national mix.
AgeMOT testsRawTypical mileageAll class 4Difference
111,54437.7%36.8%35.3%+1.5 pts
123,46439.9%39.4%37.7%+1.8 pts
134,54940.5%40.2%39.2%+1.0 pts
145,81538.6%39.4%40.7%−1.3 pts
155,24937.0%38.7%41.8%−3.1 pts
164,64237.9%40.7%42.9%−2.2 pts
174,57835.3%40.0%43.5%−3.5 pts
183,29831.6%37.0%43.6%−6.5 pts
19*2,54527.5%31.6%43.4%−11.7 pts
20*1,60823.2%27.0%42.7%−15.8 pts

* Over 18 years: only survivors are still tested at this age, so these rates describe the cars that are left.

About average: 38.6% raw · 39.4% at typical mileage, against 40.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 14, 5,815 MOT tests. Which years? See the full verdict

First-use years with the fewest MOT fails for their age: 2009 · Most: 2010 (raw rates, not adjusted for mileage; each against 3,842 or more MOT tests).

What fails on a Mitsubishi Lancer at 14 years

1 of 11 parts fail clearly more or less often than on cars the same age, with the same direction at 3 or more ages up to 18 years and no mixed picture.

What failed at 14 years, per 100 MOT tests (5,815 MOT tests), against all class 4 vehicles tested at 14. A test that fails on two parts counts for both.
PartPer 100All class 4ComparedMost common fail
Steering8.63.2fails 2.5–2.9× as often as cars the same ageTrack rod end ball joint has excessive play (MOT fail)
Lights and electrics17.218.3about average for cars the same agePosition lamp not working (MOT fail)
Suspension15.516.0about average for cars the same ageSuspension arm ball joint excessively worn (MOT fail)
Brakes11.49.9about average for cars the same ageBrake pipe excessively corroded (MOT fail)
Emissions and leaks6.05.1about average for cars the same agePetrol exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (MOT fail)
Visibility5.76.1about average for cars the same ageWindscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (MOT fail)

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Check one Mitsubishi Lancer, not the average

The figures here describe Mitsubishi Lancer cars as a group. A registration shows one car's own DVSA record: its MOT tests, the mileage at each test and the recall flag.

More Mitsubishi Lancer data

Mileage at MOT

At 14 years, 38.6% of MOT tests ended in a fail as tested. Weighted to the mileage mix of all class 4 vehicles that age, the rate is 39.4%, so mileage explains part of the gap.

Mitsubishi Lancer MOT fail rate by mileage bandFail rate in each mileage band at the reference age, this model against all class 4 vehicles.0%30%60%Mitsubishi Lancer, 60-90k miles: 35.1%All class 4 vehicles, 60-90k miles: 39.5%60-90kMitsubishi Lancer, 90-120k miles: 42.8%All class 4 vehicles, 90-120k miles: 44.0%90-120kMitsubishi Lancer, 120-150k miles: 48.5%All class 4 vehicles, 120-150k miles: 44.8%120-150k
Mitsubishi Lancer all class 4 vehicles
By mileage at the test, 14 years.
MilesMOT testsMitsubishi LancerAll class 4
60-90k1,63635.1%39.5%
90-120k1,62142.8%44.0%
120-150k1,00048.5%44.8%

Mitsubishi Lancer recalls

14 DVSA recalls list this model by name [2]. Vehicles are DVSA's count of affected Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles. The latest:

  • R/2021/240 Also covers the Mitsubishi Lancer: The air bag inflator might have a different air bag deployment performance than designed providing less protection (19,699 vehicles of this model), built Jan 1996 to Dec 2000. From the recall's stated risk: “The airbag inflator might have a different airbag deployment performance than designed providing less protection.”
  • R/2018/355 Also covers the Mitsubishi Lancer: Activation of a non-dessicated ammonium nitrate inflator with degraded propellant may result in an inflator rupture (13,756 vehicles of this model), built Jan 2004 to Jun 2007. From the recall's stated risk: “Activation of a non-desiccated ammonium nitrate inflator with degraded propellant may result in an inflator rupture.”
  • R/2016/155 Also covers the Mitsubishi Lancer: Indicators and/or other vehicle lights may switch off or blink without warning (1,801 vehicles of this model), built Dec 2007 to Jul 2008. From the recall's stated risk: “Due to poor connectivity the indicators and/or vehicle lights may turn off or blink”

Ask the seller for proof the work was done. Check any car on GOV.UK

Mitsubishi Lancer against similar cars at 14 years

Same class and fuel, all tested at 14 years, at typical mileage.

ModelFail rate95% rangeMOT tests
Mitsubishi Lancer39.4%38.2% to 40.7%5,815
Ford Focus MOT fail rate41.3%41.1% to 41.5%239,313
Volkswagen Golf MOT fail rate35.2%34.9% to 35.4%190,658
Vauxhall Astra MOT fail rate41.7%41.5% to 41.9%186,790
Audi A3 MOT fail rate35.1%34.8% to 35.5%93,541
BMW 1 Series MOT fail rate31.7%31.4% to 32.1%84,872
Honda Civic MOT fail rate41.9%41.5% to 42.2%74,100
Peugeot 308 MOT fail rate47.5%47.0% to 47.9%47,212
Renault Megane MOT fail rate50.2%49.8% to 50.7%45,306

Other Mitsubishi models

More Mitsubishi Lancer data

Years

Running costs

By part

Questions people ask

How often does a Mitsubishi Lancer fail its MOT at 14 years?

39.4% of MOT tests at 14 years ended in a fail at typical mileage (38.6% as tested), from 5,815 MOT tests, against 40.7% for all class 4 vehicles the same age; the Ford Focus was at 41.3%.

What fails most on a Mitsubishi Lancer at 14 years?

8.6 in 100 MOT tests at 14 years failed on steering, most often "track rod end ball joint has excessive play", then lights and electrics (17.2) and suspension (15.5), from 5,815 MOT tests.

Does the Mitsubishi Lancer fail on steering more than other cars?

8.6 in 100 MOT tests at 14 years failed on steering, against 3.2 for all class 4 vehicles: 2.5–2.9× as often, from 5,815 MOT tests, in the same direction at 6 ages.

What mileage does a Mitsubishi Lancer have at 14 years?

A median of 94,784 miles at the MOT test at 14 years, against 96,840 for all class 4 vehicles the same age, from 5,815 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 37,292 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Vehicle safety recalls data. DVSA recall data. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Cars tested at 14 years are compared only with vehicles tested at 14 years in the same year, adjusted to typical mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data.