The picture
Vitz: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,261 MOT tests, the Vitz returns 85.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. A defective headlamp lens and a missing suspension dust cover round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 52,227, 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
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
45 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
27 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 03
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
22 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
21 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 05
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
20 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
17 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 07
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
17 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade defective
16 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 09
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
15 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 10
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
13 occurrences · 1.0% 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 4 failures
£250–£800
If every one of this Vitz'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 Vitz?
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 Vitz 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.