The picture
Magentis: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 962 MOT tests, the Magentis returns 66.1% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a defective headlamp lens. A split CV-joint boot and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 85,164, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
54 occurrences · 5.6% of tests
- 02
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
44 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
36 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 04
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
31 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 05
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
28 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 06
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
27 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 07
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
27 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 08
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
26 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
25 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 10
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
24 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£130–£410
If every one of this Magentis's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a Magentis?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Magentis and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.