Home / Research / The cars that fail most on suspension
The cars that fail most on suspension
Which cars fail their MOT most on suspension?
Ranked by suspension defects recorded per MOT test, the Rover 115 records this area most often at 20.9%. A single test can record more than one defect, so this measures how prone a model is to suspension faults, not the share of tests failed overall.
| # | Model | Suspension defects per test | Suspension defects | Tests analysed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rover 115 | 20.9% | 3,545 | 16,962 |
| 2 | Jeep Patriot | 19.6% | 11,363 | 57,867 |
| 3 | Chrysler-Jeep Patriot | 19.6% | 4,708 | 24,059 |
| 4 | Dodge Caliber | 19.5% | 13,499 | 69,352 |
| 5 | Dodge (Usa) Caliber | 18.9% | 5,447 | 28,755 |
| 6 | Chrysler-Jeep Pt | 17.9% | 12,459 | 69,509 |
| 7 | Renault Ll29 | 17.7% | 3,350 | 18,955 |
| 8 | Fiat Multipla | 17.5% | 44,476 | 253,591 |
| 9 | Nissan Vanette | 17.5% | 36,163 | 206,379 |
| 10 | Chrysler Pt | 17.5% | 49,464 | 282,316 |
| 11 | Renault Wind | 17.3% | 6,792 | 39,249 |
| 12 | Ldv Cub | 17.2% | 9,277 | 54,017 |
| 13 | Nissan Primastar | 17.1% | 65,664 | 383,681 |
| 14 | Nissan D21 | 17.0% | 5,248 | 30,836 |
| 15 | Leyland Daf 400 | 16.8% | 3,910 | 23,337 |
| 16 | Ford Orion | 16.6% | 14,180 | 85,239 |
| 17 | Ford Courier | 16.5% | 5,357 | 32,455 |
| 18 | Vauxhall Carlton | 16.4% | 8,961 | 54,500 |
| 19 | Citroen Bx | 16.4% | 6,601 | 40,322 |
| 20 | Mercedes-Benz 308 | 16.3% | 16,081 | 98,715 |
| 21 | Mitsubishi Delica | 16.3% | 11,186 | 68,829 |
| 22 | Nissan Prairie | 16.2% | 3,094 | 19,086 |
| 23 | Renault Extra | 16.0% | 7,694 | 48,041 |
| 24 | Renault Laguna | 15.9% | 444,788 | 2,791,851 |
| 25 | Ldv 200 | 15.8% | 9,010 | 56,962 |
| 26 | Ford Maverick | 15.8% | 29,466 | 187,051 |
| 27 | Nissan Serena | 15.5% | 23,045 | 148,451 |
| 28 | London Taxis Int Tx1 | 15.3% | 18,282 | 119,209 |
| 29 | Renault Trafic | 15.3% | 375,617 | 2,460,583 |
| 30 | Vauxhall Vivaro | 15.2% | 632,534 | 4,154,339 |
| 31 | Rover 418 | 15.2% | 6,818 | 44,826 |
| 32 | Ford Escort | 15.2% | 762,325 | 5,012,646 |
| 33 | Fiat Marea | 15.1% | 23,795 | 157,085 |
| 34 | Mercedes-Benz 208 | 15.1% | 13,384 | 88,485 |
| 35 | Renault 19 | 15.0% | 4,421 | 29,410 |
| 36 | Fiat Stilo | 15.0% | 85,365 | 569,837 |
| 37 | Nissan Cabstar | 14.9% | 51,964 | 347,743 |
| 38 | Renault R21 | 14.8% | 3,468 | 23,367 |
| 39 | Ford Freda | 14.8% | 4,310 | 29,207 |
| 40 | Nissan Sunny | 14.8% | 53,499 | 362,669 |
| 41 | Vauxhall Signum | 14.7% | 36,228 | 245,614 |
| 42 | Vauxhall Cavalier | 14.7% | 116,419 | 792,087 |
| 43 | Fiat Croma | 14.7% | 2,910 | 19,863 |
| 44 | Ldv Pilot | 14.4% | 13,797 | 95,877 |
| 45 | Mazda 121 | 14.3% | 7,749 | 54,021 |
| 46 | Mazda Bongo | 14.3% | 40,753 | 284,657 |
| 47 | Mercedes-Benz 312 | 14.2% | 3,744 | 26,314 |
| 48 | Nissan Kubistar | 14.2% | 9,853 | 69,578 |
| 49 | Rover Cityrover | 14.1% | 14,913 | 105,410 |
| 50 | Daewoo Espero | 14.1% | 4,724 | 33,498 |
How this is worked out
Every figure is computed from the full DVSA MOT test and defect record, not a survey or a poll. Rates are the share of MOT tests that end in a failure (or a pass); area figures count that area's recorded defects against tests taken. A model is only ranked once it clears a minimum test count, so a single unlucky batch cannot distort a list. Motorcycles, which share the MOT dataset, are excluded so these are genuine car rankings. Age is the strongest driver of MOT failure, so older models and vans naturally rank higher. Figures describe how a model performs across the fleet; they are not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Data as of September 2026.
Republish this
This table is free to reproduce with a link to Know Your MOT. Embed the live version:
Related studies
Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain