What is the Saab MOT pass rate?

63.3% of 38,773 class-4 initial MOT tests on Saab cars passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average across all published models.

Which Saab has the best MOT pass rate?

Of the Saab model groups with a substantial sample, the 9-5 has the highest initial pass rate at 64.1% across 7,035 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.

Does a good Saab pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?

No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.

MOT pass rates / Saab

Saab MOT pass rates and common failures

Name: Saab MOT statistics
Creator: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Saab cars passed 63.3% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 38,773 class-4 initial tests and 2 model groups. That is below the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Saab 49th of 59 makes in the dataset.

Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Saab is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.

Checking a Saab?

Make-level pass rates 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.

What Saab cars fail on

The items most often behind a first-test failure across Saab model groups, as a share of Saab tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.

Brake Performance — 6.2% of Saab tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
Exhaust Emissions — 5.8% of Saab 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.
Springs — 5.1% of Saab tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
Condition — 4.6% of Saab tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
Anti-roll Bars — 4.1% of Saab tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
Headlamps — 4% of Saab tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
Position Lamps — 1% of Saab tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
Headlamp Aim — 1% of Saab tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.

Saab MOT pass rate by age

Age at test	Tests	Initial pass rate
10–14 years	6,021	68.2%
15–30 years	32,751	62.4%

Saab models by MOT pass rate

Model	Tests	Initial pass rate
9-3	31,738	63.2%
9-5	7,035	64.1%

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 Saab'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.