MOT data by first-use year
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 6,117 MOT tests · Updated
35.8% of 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer cars failed their MOT at 17 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2007 and 2009 cars (3,426 MOT tests) [1].
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- −6.4 to −6.6 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 14 to 17 years, 6,117 MOT tests
- 90,000 to 120,000 miles: 38.8% of Mitsubishi Lancer cars first used 2005–2008 failed at 17 years, against 33.8% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles, 2,632 MOT tests
- At 17 years (tested 2025): 35.8% failed, against 42.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2025, 1,264 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 17 years (2025)
- 35.8%
- vs 42.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2025
- 1,264 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −6.4 pts
- over ages 14–17: −6.6 to −6.3 pts
- 6,117 MOT tests
- Against the 2007 and 2009 cars
- −2.6 pts
- 95% range −5.9 to +0.6 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 3,426 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2008 cars
- 6,117
- tested 2022–2025, 4 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 6,117 MOT tests
About the same as the 2007 and 2009 cars: −2.6 points at the same ages (14–15), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −5.9 to +0.6, from 3,426 MOT tests of 2008 cars and 3,532 of the 2007 and 2009 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Mitsubishi Lancer year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 14 to 17 years old, the fail rate went from 35.4% to 35.8%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −6.4 to −6.6 points. The widest gap was at 17 years (−6.6 points, 1,264 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 years | 35.4% | 33.2%–37.6% | 1,805 | 41.8% | −6.4 pts |
| 2023 | 15 years | 35.9% | 33.6%–38.3% | 1,621 | 42.2% | −6.3 pts |
| 2024 | 16 years | 36.2% | 33.8%–38.8% | 1,427 | 42.7% | −6.5 pts |
| 2025 | 17 years | 35.8% | 33.2%–38.5% | 1,264 | 42.4% | −6.6 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2008 against the 2007 and 2009 cars, age by age
| Age | 2008 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 14 years | 35.4% 1,805 MOT tests, tested 2022 | 2009: 38.2% (1,303, tested 2023) |
| 15 years | 35.9% 1,621 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2007: 36.2% (1,092, tested 2022) 2009: 37.2% (1,137, tested 2024) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Mitsubishi Lancer at 17 years
All Mitsubishi Lancer MOTs at 17 years, cars first used 2005–2008 (4,578 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: steering track rod end: ball joint play (4.8 per 100 MOT tests), brake light not working (4.8 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and side/position light not working (4.7 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 17 years
Mitsubishi Lancer cars first used 2005–2008 at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed 38.8% of MOTs at 17 years (1,169 MOT tests), against 33.8% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (1,463 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 46.2% and 41.7%.
Road tax for a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 6 petrol and diesel versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer in its May 2008 data, from 165 to 188 g/km CO2 [3]. A car first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 is taxed by CO2 band, so that is bands G, I and J: from £275 to £410 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2].
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Petrol versions | Diesel versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | £275 | 165 | 0 | 2 |
| I | £360 | 183 | 2 | 0 |
| J | £410 | 188 | 2 | 0 |
Versions listed, not cars sold: this does not say how common each band is. The CO2 figure on the car's V5C log book decides its band. Car tax calculator for a 2008 car
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2008 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2008 was issued a 57 (January–February), 08 (March–August) or 58 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 08 plates
A 2008 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2]
For the London ULEZ, a 2008 petrol usually meets Euro 4, and a 2008 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [4] ULEZ checker
Buying a Mitsubishi Lancer? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer?
35.8% at 17 years (tested 2025), from 1,264 MOT tests, against 42.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2025.
Does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer fail more MOTs than the 2007 and 2009?
2.6 percentage points apart at the same ages (14–15), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 3,426 MOT tests (95% range −5.9 to +0.6), so about the same.
At what ages were 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer cars MOT tested in the data?
4 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 14–17 years, tested 2022–2025, 6,117 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Mitsubishi Lancer at 17 years?
4.8 in 100 MOT tests failed on steering track rod end: ball joint play, the most common fail item. From 4,578 MOT tests of Mitsubishi Lancer cars first used 2005–2008, not only 2008.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 6,117 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Vehicle Certification Agency, Car fuel and emissions data. VCA data, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 17 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 17 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare