Mitsubishi Colt MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 17,077 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 53.5% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 60.3% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 51.3% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Mitsubishi Colt?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10–14 years | 4,188 | 60.3% |
| 15–30 years | 12,880 | 51.3% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Mitsubishi Colt to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Headlamp Aim — 8.5% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 7.9% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Transmission — 6.5% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
- Wipers — 6.2% of tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Exhaust Emissions — 5.9% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Steering Linkage Components — 5.7% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Mitsubishi Colt are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 17,051 licensed and 4,175 SORN vehicles in the Mitsubishi Colt generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Mitsubishi Colt
Before you buy
- Headlamp Aim — 8.5% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 7.9% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Transmission — 6.5% of tests in 2024. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
- Wipers — 6.2% of tests in 2024. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 67% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 50,957. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Colt — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Mitsubishi models
- Mitsubishi L200 — 69.7% pass
- Mitsubishi Outlander — 76.2% pass
- Mitsubishi ASX — 75.3% pass
- Mitsubishi Shogun — 69.3% pass
- Mitsubishi Lancer — 66.3% pass
- Mitsubishi L200 Double CAB — 55.1% pass
See every Mitsubishi model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Mitsubishi Colt MOT pass rate?
53.5% of 17,077 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Colt passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Colt fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are headlamp aim (8.5% of tests), position lamps (7.9% of tests), transmission (6.5% of tests), wipers (6.2% of tests).
How many Mitsubishi Colt are left in the UK?
17,051 were licensed and 4,175 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Colt is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.