Best First Cars With Low MOT Fail Rates

Choosing a first car is stressful enough without worrying whether it will sail through its MOT. Insurance, tax, fuel and finance get most of the attention – but MOT reliability is what determines whether your first year of driving is a breeze or a string of unexpected garage bills. One important caveat: MOT data is only one part of the picture, so always weigh insurance group and real quotes alongside this reliability information when you’re comparing first‑car options.

In our earlier studies we’ve looked at:

This time we’re focusing on a very specific question:

If you’re buying a first car today, which models give you the best MOT track record at typical “first‑car” ages?

Using DVSA data, we’ve identified small, affordable cars that combine sensible running costs with below‑average MOT fail rates between 6 and 9 years old – exactly the age band most first‑car buyers are shopping in.

How we picked the best first cars

At Pre MOT Check, our recommendations are built on top of the same DVSA anonymised MOT data that powers our detailed model/year MOT stats pages.

For this study we:

Used the 2023 DVSA MOT test results for cars and light vans.
Focused on cars registered between 2014 and 2017 – typically 6–9 years old at the time of test.
Grouped results by make, model and year and calculated the MOT fail rate for each vehicle profile.
Required at least 5,000 MOT tests per make/model/year to ensure the stats are robust.
Selected cars that make realistic first‑car choices: mainly small hatchbacks, city cars and compact MPVs, not large SUVs or luxury models.

From our age‑curve analysis, the average MOT fail rate for 6–9‑year‑old cars sits around 14–16%. The models below live down in the 6–10% range – meaning they fail their MOT far less often than the typical car of the same age.

You can explore any of them in more detail on Pre MOT Check, or browse everything on our MOT pass rate by make and model page.

Top 12 first cars for passing the MOT (age 6–9)

Here are twelve stand‑out first‑car choices with strong MOT performance in the 6–9‑year age band. We’ve shown one representative year per model – click through to see how other years compare.

Fail rate = percentage of MOT tests in 2023 for that specific make/model/year that resulted in a Fail.

Rank	Make	Model	Year	Age at 2023 Test	Fail Rate	Tests
1	Honda	Jazz	2017	6 yrs	6.3%	19,198
2	Suzuki	Celerio	2017	6 yrs	7.1%	6,884
3	Toyota	Yaris	2016	7 yrs	9.4%	31,442
4	Toyota	Aygo	2017	6 yrs	9.2%	23,647
5	Ford	Ka	2017	6 yrs	8.8%	14,594
6	Vauxhall	Viva	2017	6 yrs	8.7%	10,695
7	Hyundai	i20	2017	6 yrs	9.8%	12,981
8	Mazda	2	2017	6 yrs	9.6%	8,495
9	Suzuki	Swift	2017	6 yrs	9.9%	8,964
10	Nissan	Note	2017	6 yrs	9.1%	5,734
11	Kia	Venga	2017	6 yrs	8.6%	6,445
12	Mini	One	2016	7 yrs	9.6%	9,310

Across this group, average fail rates sit well below the 6–9‑year‑old norm. Models like the Honda Jazz and Suzuki Celerio are particularly impressive, with fail rates less than half of many similarly aged cars.

Budget-friendly city cars

If you want something cheap to buy, cheap to insure and cheap to run, the data points towards three standout city cars:

Suzuki Celerio (2017/2016) – among the lowest MOT fail rates of any first‑car‑sized model (around 7–8%). Simple, light and mechanically straightforward.
Toyota Aygo (2017/2016) – small, fun and backed by Toyota’s strong reliability record, with fail rates around 9–10%.
Ford Ka (2017) – familiar, widely available and with an MOT fail rate below 9% in our dataset.

For new drivers on tight budgets, these cars give you:

Low purchase prices on the used market.
Good fuel economy and modest tax/insurance.
Strong odds of a clean MOT compared with the average 6–9‑year‑old car.

You can see how each specific year performs – and what tends to fail – on the individual model pages, for example:

For comparison, see how popular alternatives like the 2015 Vauxhall Corsa MOT pass rate or 2015 VW Polo common failures perform.

Safe bets for parents and cautious buyers

If you’re buying a first car for a son or daughter, or you just want something ultra‑dependable, the data strongly favours Japanese superminis:

Honda Jazz (2017/2016/2015/2014) – appears repeatedly in our most reliable‑car rankings, with fail rates from 6.3% to around 10% even as it ages.
Toyota Yaris (2017/2016) – consistent single‑digit fail rates and huge test volumes, which means the statistics are very robust.

Why they make great first cars:

Upright seating and excellent visibility – confidence‑boosting for new drivers.
Proven engines and gearboxes that handle mixed driving well.
Owners who typically value reliability and maintain their cars properly.

For a more practical “mini‑MPV” feel, the Nissan Note and Kia Venga also test well, combining low fail rates with more interior space.

Check the numbers yourself on:

Small cars that still feel “special”

Not every first car has to be purely sensible. If you or your teenager want something with a bit more character, the data still has some good news.

Models like the Mini One / Cooper and Suzuki Swift manage to combine fun driving with respectable MOT records:

Mini One 2016 – around 9.6% fail rate, with plenty of real‑world tests.
Mini Cooper 2017/2016 – about 10% fail rate at 6–7 years old.
Suzuki Swift 2017 – just under 10% fail rate and a reputation for being light, nimble and cheap to run.

These cars tend to cost a little more to buy and insure than a Celerio or Aygo, but if you shop carefully (and check MOT history), they can still be excellent first‑car choices.

How to use this data when choosing your first car

Lists are useful, but the real power comes from combining this data with the specific car you’re thinking about buying.

Here’s a simple process:

Shortlist a few models from the table above
Decide whether you want a tiny city car, a slightly bigger supermini or a more practical mini‑MPV.
Pick an age band that suits your budget
Our age‑curve analysis shows the sweet spot for used cars is around 4–6 years old, with relatively low fail rates and much lower prices than new.
Look up the exact make/model/year on Pre MOT Check
Use Browse all vehicles to find the model, then click through to the specific MOT stats page for each year you’re considering. Compare:
- MOT pass rate and test count
- Top 5 failure reasons
- How your chosen year compares to older/newer ones
Cross‑check the specific car’s MOT history
Use the government MOT history service to make sure the individual car hasn’t had repeated failures or advisories for the same issues.
Use the pre‑MOT checklist before viewing and buying
Each Pre MOT Check model page turns the failure patterns into a checklist. Take it with you when viewing the car – tyres, brakes and suspension in particular are worth a close look.
Plan for age‑related risks
Combine your model choice with what you know from our age vs MOT fail rate analysis. A very reliable model that’s 10+ years old may still carry more risk than a slightly less reliable model that’s only 5 years old.

Check your car’s MOT stats by number plate

Methodology & data sources

This study draws on the same dataset we use to power Pre MOT Check:

Data source: DVSA MOT test results, 2023 (anonymised car and light van tests).
Tests analysed: 40.7 million MOT tests across the UK.
Vehicle age band: Cars registered 2014–2017 (roughly 6–9 years old at the 2023 test).
Selection criteria:
- At least 5,000 MOT tests for each make/model/year.
- Body styles that make realistic first‑car choices (small hatchbacks, city cars, compact MPVs).
- Ranking by lowest MOT fail rate within that group.
Scope: Passenger cars only; motorcycles, heavy goods vehicles and specialist vehicles are excluded.

We’ll refresh these rankings as new DVSA datasets are released, and we may expand this analysis to other age bands (for example, “best first cars at 3–5 years old”) as more data becomes available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most reliable first car?

Based on our analysis of 40.7 million MOT tests, the Honda Jazz (2017) is the most reliable first car in the 6-9 year age range, with a fail rate of just 6.3% – over twice as reliable as the average car of the same age.

What is a good first car for a new driver?

Good first cars for new drivers include the Suzuki Celerio, Toyota Aygo, and Ford Ka. These combine low MOT fail rates (under 9%), affordable running costs, and typically sit in lower insurance groups. Japanese brands like Honda and Toyota consistently show the best reliability.

Which first cars have the lowest MOT fail rates?

The top 3 first cars with the lowest MOT fail rates are: 1) Honda Jazz 2017 (6.3%), 2) Suzuki Celerio 2017 (7.1%), and 3) Ford Ka 2017 (8.8%). All perform significantly better than the 14-16% average for cars aged 6-9 years.

Are Japanese cars more reliable as first cars?

Yes, our data shows Japanese brands (Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, Mazda, Nissan) dominate the most reliable first cars list, with MOT fail rates 30-50% lower than average. The Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris are particularly strong performers across multiple years.

Key takeaways

Several small, affordable cars – especially the Honda Jazz, Suzuki Celerio, Toyota Aygo/Yaris and Ford Ka – show MOT fail rates far below average between 6 and 9 years old.
Japanese brands dominate the safest bets for cautious buyers and parents, while models like the Mini and Suzuki Swift offer more character without terrible MOT records.
The best first‑car strategy is to combine age‑band data, model‑level MOT stats and a car’s individual MOT history, then use a pre‑MOT checklist to avoid obvious failures.

To see how your car compares, browse all makes and models or search your registration on the Pre MOT Check home page. You’ll get instant MOT statistics and a checklist tailored to your vehicle.