New research has shown the areas with the highest rate of first-time MOT passing in the UK, with some surprising results in the top ten.
Insurance broker One Sure Insurance analysed the DVLA’s MOT database to find the most common locations of first-time MOT pass results among Class 4 vehicles (Cars, Vans, Small, Small commercial vehicles, etc…).
Enfield is the place claiming the top spot on the list, with an MOT pass rate of 87.04% – the highest on the list.
In second place, London again takes the spot, with Romford having an MOT pass rate of 85.7%
Third place is once again in London, but out west. Southall comes in with an MOT pass rate of 85.66%
Still in the south of the UK, Slough takes the fourth place on the list, with an MOT pass rate of 85.59%
Bromley sits close behind in fifth place. This South London borough has an MOT pass rate of 85.47%
The remainder of the top ten places with the highest initial pass rate for MOTs feature Twickenham in sixth place, with a pass rate of 85.45% – only just narrowly beating Ilford in seventh place with an MOT pass rate of 85.44%.
Eighth place goes to Dartford; if you’re getting an MOT in Dartford, there’s a massive 85.31% chance of passing the first time.
Ninth place goes to Croydon, with a pass rate of 85.19%
And finally, taking the final spot on the list is Southend-On-Sea, the only area not in London to feature in the top ten, with an MOT pass rate of 84.6%.
Interestingly, the data also found that bronze-coloured cars were the most likely to pass, with a pass rate of 84.68%. The most common colours of cars in for MOTs were Black and Silver, with pass rates of 80.07% and 77.98%, respectively.
Scotland featured four out of the top ten areas with the lowest pass rates for MOTs, as seen in the extended results below.
The study also found that of the 38,155,866 MOT tests carried out on all classes of vehicles in 2021, one in five resulted in failure.
Rank Postcode area Fail Pass Pass rate Total MOTs 1 Enfield 26,049.00 168,086.00 87.04% 212,771.00 2 Romford 39,882.00 228,802.00 85.70% 291,792.00 3 Southall 27,964.00 159,154.00 85.66% 207,425.00 4 Slough 34,928.00 199,839.00 85.59% 254,977.00 5 Bromley 19,441.00 110,643.00 85.47% 139,532.00 6 Twickenham 37,365.00 212,061.00 85.45% 269,526.00 7 Ilford 21,809.00 123,484.00 85.44% 157,985.00 8 Dartford 37,922.00 207,676.00 85.31% 267,062.00 9 Croydon 34,970.00 192,962.00 85.19% 247,402.00 10 Southend-on-Sea 49,307.00 260,485.00 84.60% 332,000.00
A spokesperson for One Sure Insurance commented on the findings:
“The variations identified in the study offer valuable insights into the diverse factors that can affect MOT outcomes. The study serves as a reminder for motorists nationwide to remain diligent in maintaining their vehicles and prioritising regular checks to increase the likelihood of successful MOT examinations. This proactive approach contributes to ensuring road safety for all.”
