MOT pass rates / Saab

Saab MOT pass rates and common failures

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.

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

Saab models by MOT pass rate

How many Saab vehicles are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 35,158 licensed and 28,545 SORN Saab vehicles across 7 published model groups.

Licensed and SORN counts for every Saab model

Before you buy

• Brake Performance — 6.2% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
• Exhaust Emissions — 5.8% of tests in 2024. 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 tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
• Condition — 4.6% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
• Check the actual Saab — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Common questions

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.

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.