Most Reliable Used Cars at MOT (Age 6–9 Years)

When you're buying a used car, reliability at MOT is one of the simplest ways to separate the gems from the duds. Two cars can look identical on a forecourt, but if one model fails its MOT twice as often as the other, that difference will show up in your running costs, your stress levels – and how long you can stay on the road.

In our companion analysis of the cars most likely to fail their next MOT, we looked at the high‑risk end of the market. This time, we’re flipping it around and celebrating the most reliable used cars at MOT between 6 and 9 years old – the age band most UK buyers are shopping in when they want something modern, but still affordable. At this age many cars are still with their first or second owner and have reasonably complete service histories, which tends to show up as more consistent MOT results than you see on older, many‑owner vehicles.

At Pre MOT Check, we’ve built our platform on top of the DVSA’s anonymised MOT data. For this study, we analysed 40.7 million MOT tests carried out in 2023 across 12,425 unique vehicle profiles (make + model + year). From that dataset, we’ve identified the 20 mainstream cars that breeze through their MOTs more than almost anything else on the road.

How we picked the most reliable cars

This article uses the same data pipeline and quality filters as our other flagship MOT studies. In practical terms, that means:

Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results for 2023 (cars and light vans only).
Vehicle age band: Cars aged 6–9 years at the time of test – roughly 2015–2018 registrations.
Grouping: We grouped results by make, model and registration year (for example, “Honda Jazz 2017”).
Minimum sample size: Only vehicles with at least 5,000 MOT tests in 2023 were eligible for this “most reliable” list, to avoid small‑sample flukes.
Ranking: We then ranked those vehicle profiles by MOT fail rate and selected the 20 lowest‑risk cars.

For context, a typical 8‑ or 9‑year‑old car has an MOT fail rate of around 14–16%. The models below sit down in the 6–9% range. In other words, they’re roughly two to three times less likely to fail their MOT than the worst offenders in this age band.

You can look up any of these cars – and thousands more – in detail on Pre MOT Check. For example:

Each of those pages shows the car's pass rate, test count, top failure reasons and a tailored pre‑MOT checklist. You can also compare these with mainstream models like the 2015 Ford Fiesta MOT pass rate or 2017 VW Golf MOT statistics to see how they stack up. Browse the full database on our MOT pass rate by make and model page.

The 20 most reliable used cars at MOT (age 6–9)

These are the 20 best‑performing cars in our 2023 dataset among 6–9‑year‑old vehicles, sorted by lowest fail rate.

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 Test	Fail Rate	Tests
1	Porsche	Macan	2017	6 yrs	5.8%	5,760
2	Honda	Jazz	2017	6 yrs	6.3%	19,198
3	Toyota	Prius	2017	6 yrs	6.3%	16,006
4	Honda	Jazz	2016	7 yrs	7.0%	19,804
5	Suzuki	Celerio	2017	6 yrs	7.1%	6,884
6	Honda	HR-V	2017	6 yrs	7.5%	6,334
7	Honda	CR-V	2017	6 yrs	7.5%	12,996
8	Toyota	Prius	2016	7 yrs	7.7%	16,135
9	Suzuki	Celerio	2016	7 yrs	7.9%	8,556
10	Audi	TT	2017	6 yrs	8.1%	8,069
11	Honda	CR-V	2016	7 yrs	8.3%	15,587
12	Mini	Countryman	2017	6 yrs	8.4%	11,941
13	Honda	Jazz	2015	8 yrs	8.4%	19,325
14	Audi	Q2	2017	6 yrs	8.5%	13,214
15	Toyota	Prius	2015	8 yrs	8.5%	14,319
16	Kia	Venga	2017	6 yrs	8.6%	6,445
17	Vauxhall	Viva	2017	6 yrs	8.7%	10,695
18	Skoda	Kodiaq	2017	6 yrs	8.8%	6,760
19	Ford	Ka	2017	6 yrs	8.8%	14,594
20	Audi	TT	2016	7 yrs	8.8%	10,140

Explore some of the stand‑out performers: Honda Jazz 2017 | Toyota Prius 2017 | Audi TT 2017 | Skoda Kodiaq 2017

Across these 20 vehicles, the average fail rate is under 8%, compared to roughly 14–16% for typical cars of the same age. That means fewer red MOT sheets, fewer surprise bills – and more time spent driving instead of waiting at the garage.

Why Japanese brands dominate

The first thing that jumps out from this list is how heavily it features Japanese manufacturers:

Honda appears five times (Jazz, HR‑V, CR‑V).
Toyota appears three times, all with the Prius.
Suzuki appears twice with the Celerio.

This is consistent with what many owners and reliability surveys have been saying for years – but here it’s showing up in hard MOT data:

Conservative engineering: Components are often over‑specified and shared across models, which keeps failure rates low as cars age.
Simple, proven powertrains: Naturally aspirated petrol engines and long‑running hybrid systems (like the Prius) tend to be kinder to brakes, exhausts and transmissions.
Owner behaviour: Many buyers choose these cars precisely because they care about low running costs, which often goes hand‑in‑hand with better maintenance.

If you want a low‑stress ownership experience from a 6–9‑year‑old car, it’s hard to ignore the pattern here. Shortlist at least one Honda Jazz or Toyota Prius and compare its MOT record with anything else you’re considering.

Budget heroes vs premium stars

You don’t have to buy a Porsche to enjoy excellent MOT reliability – but it’s interesting that the list contains a real mix of budget city cars and premium models.

Premium performers:

Porsche Macan 2017 tops the list outright.
Audi TT and Audi Q2 both feature with fail rates around 8%. (For more on German vs Japanese reliability, see our German reliability myth or reality analysis.)
Mini Countryman 2017 also appears, showing that premium compact SUVs can still be robust at MOT time.

These cars cost more to buy and repair, but the MOT data suggests that – when correctly maintained – they don't fail particularly often in their middle age.

Budget heroes:

Suzuki Celerio and Kia Venga offer very low fail rates on a budget.
Vauxhall Viva 2017 and Ford Ka 2017 provide cheap, simple motoring with solid MOT performance.

For buyers who just want a small, cheap‑to‑run car that keeps passing its tests, these models are very hard to beat.

Hybrids and MOT reliability: the Prius effect

The Toyota Prius deserves a special mention. It appears three times in our top‑20 list:

Prius 2017 – 6 years old, 6.3% fail rate.
Prius 2016 – 7 years old, 7.7% fail rate.
Prius 2015 – 8 years old, 8.5% fail rate.

That’s a strong signal that Toyota’s hybrid systems age extremely well in real‑world UK use:

Regenerative braking can reduce wear on discs and pads.
Smooth power delivery is kind to transmissions and suspension components.
Many Prius owners cover high mileages but also tend to maintain their cars carefully, because they bought them for efficiency in the first place.

If you’re on the fence about a used hybrid, the MOT stats for the Prius are a reassuring data point. You can see the full failure breakdown for each year on our Prius model pages.

How to use this data when buying used

Lists like this are helpful, but they’re only the starting point. Here’s how to turn the numbers into a smarter buying decision:

Shortlist models from the top 20
Pick a few that fit your budget and needs (for example, Honda Jazz, Toyota Prius, Skoda Kodiaq).
Check the exact year you’re considering
Head to Browse all vehicles, find the make and model, then click through to the year you’re looking at. MOT reliability can change between generations.
Compare MOT performance between candidates
Look at the pass rate, test count and top failure reasons on each detailed model/year MOT stats page. A few percentage points difference in fail rate can matter over several years of ownership.
Cross‑check with the government MOT history
Use the official MOT history service for any car you’re viewing. A model may be reliable overall, but an individual car with repeated failures is still one to treat with caution.
Use the pre‑MOT checklist before you buy
Our model‑specific checklists highlight the items most likely to fail for that car. Work through them when viewing or test‑driving a candidate – especially tyres, brakes and suspension.
Factor in repair costs, not just fail risk
A Macan with a 5.8% fail rate is impressive, but when it does need work, parts and labour will cost more than on a Jazz or Celerio. Balance reliability with affordability.

Check your car’s MOT stats by number plate

Methodology & data sources

This study is based on the same underlying dataset we use inside Pre MOT Check to power our MOT risk scores and pre‑MOT checklists:

Data source: DVSA MOT test results, 2023 (anonymised car and light van tests).
Tests analysed: 40.7 million MOT tests, grouped into 12,425 unique vehicle profiles.
Key metric: Fail rate = percentage of MOT tests for a given make/model/year that resulted in a Fail.
Age band: Vehicles that were 6–9 years old at the time of test.
Sample size filter: Minimum of 5,000 MOT tests per vehicle profile to qualify for this “most reliable” ranking.
Scope: Passenger cars only; motorcycles, heavy goods vehicles and specialist categories are excluded.

We refresh our database when new DVSA datasets are released, so over time the exact rankings may change as newer MOT results come in. The individual model/year MOT stats pages will always show the latest figures we have for your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most reliable used cars aged 6-9 years?

Based on 40.7 million MOT tests, the most reliable used cars at this age are: Porsche Macan (5.8% fail rate), Honda Jazz (6.3%), Toyota Prius (6.3%), and Suzuki Celerio (7.1%). Japanese brands dominate the top 20, with Honda appearing five times.

Which car brand is most reliable for used cars?

Honda and Toyota are the most reliable brands for used cars in MOT data. Honda appears five times in our top 20 most reliable cars (Jazz, HR-V, CR-V), while Toyota appears three times with the Prius. Both consistently show fail rates 50% below average.

What is a good MOT pass rate for a used car?

A good MOT pass rate for a 6-9 year old car is above 90% (under 10% fail rate). The average for this age group is 84-86% (14-16% fail rate). Top performers like the Honda Jazz and Toyota Prius achieve pass rates above 93%.

Key takeaways

The most reliable 6–9‑year‑old cars in our data have MOT fail rates under 8%, far better than the age‑group average.
Japanese brands dominate, with Honda, Toyota and Suzuki taking more than half of the spots in the top 20.
You’ll find both premium models (Porsche Macan, Audi TT, Audi Q2) and budget city cars (Suzuki Celerio, Kia Venga, Vauxhall Viva, Ford Ka) on the list – reliability isn’t reserved for one price bracket.
Hybrids, particularly the Toyota Prius, show outstanding real‑world durability at MOT time.
The smartest move when buying used is to combine this model‑level data with a car’s individual MOT history and a thorough, checklist‑driven inspection.

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.