MOT data by first-use year
2008 Saab 9-5: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,217 MOT tests · Updated
35.0% of 2008 Saab 9-5 cars failed their MOT at 15 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2007 cars (1,049 MOT tests) [1].
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- −8.2 to −7.2 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 14 to 15 years, 2,217 MOT tests
- 120,000 to 150,000 miles: 37.5% of Saab 9-5 cars first used 2007–2010 failed at 15 years, against 33.0% at 90,000 to 120,000 miles, 2,072 MOT tests
- At 15 years (tested 2023): 35.0% failed, against 42.2% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 15 years in 2023, 1,049 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2008 Saab 9-5 cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 15 years (2023)
- 35.0%
- vs 42.2% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 15 years in 2023
- 1,049 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −7.7 pts
- over ages 14–15: −8.1 to −7.3 pts
- 2,217 MOT tests
- Against the 2007 cars
- −1.0 pts
- 95% range −4.8 to +2.8 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 1,049 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2008 cars
- 2,217
- tested 2022–2023, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,217 MOT tests
About the same as the 2007 cars: −1.0 points at age 15, each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −4.8 to +2.8, from 1,049 MOT tests of 2008 cars and 1,464 of the 2007 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Saab 9-5 year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2008 Saab 9-5 fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2023, as these cars went from 14 to 15 years old, the fail rate went from 33.6% to 35.0%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −8.2 to −7.2 points. The widest gap was at 14 years (−8.2 points, 1,168 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 years | 33.6% | 31.0%–36.4% | 1,168 | 41.8% | −8.2 pts |
| 2023 | 15 years | 35.0% | 32.2%–37.9% | 1,049 | 42.2% | −7.2 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 cars, age by age
| Age | 2008 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 15 years | 35.0% 1,049 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2007: 36.2% (1,464, tested 2022) |
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 Saab 9-5 at 15 years
All Saab 9-5 MOTs at 15 years, cars first used 2007–2010 (3,734 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: side/position light not working (6.7 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item), engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (3.9 per 100 MOT tests) and handbrake too weak (3.1 per 100 MOT tests).
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 15 years
Saab 9-5 cars first used 2007–2010 at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed 37.5% of MOTs at 15 years (1,002 MOT tests), against 33.0% at 90,000 to 120,000 miles (1,070 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 45.9% and 45.1%.
Road tax for a 2008 Saab 9-5
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 47 petrol and diesel versions of the Saab 9-5 in its data from May 2007 to May 2009, from 174 to 258 g/km CO2 [3]. A car first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 is taxed by CO2 band, so that is 6 bands from H to M: from £325 to £790 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2].
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Petrol versions | Diesel versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | £325 | 174 | 0 | 2 |
| I | £360 | 184 | 0 | 2 |
| J | £410 | 199 | 0 | 2 |
| K | £445 | 204–225 | 20 | 2 |
| L | £760 | 226–255 | 18 | 0 |
| M | £790 | 258 | 1 | 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 Saab 9-5? 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 Saab 9-5?
35.0% at 15 years (tested 2023), from 1,049 MOT tests, against 42.2% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 15 years in 2023.
Does the 2008 Saab 9-5 fail more MOTs than the 2007?
1.0 percentage points apart at age 15, each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 1,049 MOT tests (95% range −4.8 to +2.8), so about the same.
At what ages were 2008 Saab 9-5 cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 14–15 years, tested 2022–2023, 2,217 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Saab 9-5 at 15 years?
6.7 in 100 MOT tests failed on side/position light not working, the most common fail item (a wear item); the most common non-wear item was engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (3.9 in 100). From 3,734 MOT tests of Saab 9-5 cars first used 2007–2010, 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, 2,217 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 15 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 15 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