How reliable is the Aston Martin DB9 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Aston Martin DB9, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 90.1% across 4,209 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Aston Martin DB9?

The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 11.6% of all Aston Martin DB9 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Aston Martin DB9 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 41,066 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Does a Aston Martin DB9 get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 9 to 11 years old, 95.7% of Aston Martin DB9 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 89.1%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

Model reliability file

Aston Martin DB9 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 4,209 recorded MOT tests of the Aston Martin DB9, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 4,209 MOT tests, 90.1% of Aston Martin DB9 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Aston Martin DB9 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which appears in 16.8% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 41,066 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

90.1%unadjusted, not comparable4,209 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the DB9. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 4,209 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Aston Martin DB9 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning16.8%
61 occurrencesLamp not working explained
2.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction16.8%
61 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
3.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened11.8%
43 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
4.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.4%
38 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen9.3%
34 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.A tyre seriously damaged5.8%
21 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
7.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.5%
20 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
8.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.5%
20 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
9.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage5.5%
20 occurrencesShock absorber defective explained
10.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen5.2%
19 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Aston Martin DB9 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.A tyre seriously damaged11.6%
488 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.5%
400 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded5.1%
216 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
4.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm4.7%
197 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
5.A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded4.4%
184 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained
6.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured4.3%
179 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
7.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage2.0%
86 testsShock absorber defective explained
8.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened1.7%
72 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained

How wear changes the picture

Pass rate by vehicle age

9–11 yrs96%

12–14 yrs91%

15+ yrs89%

Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The DB9 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 41,066
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol100.0%

Check a specific Aston Martin DB9

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Aston Martin models

Aston Martin Vantage — 93.7% unadjusted
Aston Martin V8 Vantage — 91.4% unadjusted
Aston Martin DB11 — 95.1% unadjusted
Aston Martin DB7 — 86.0% unadjusted
Aston Martin Dbs — 94.0% unadjusted
Aston Martin Vanquish — 93.7% unadjusted
All Aston Martin models

Common questions

How reliable is the Aston Martin DB9 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Aston Martin DB9, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 90.1% across 4,209 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Aston Martin DB9?: The item recorded most often is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", which appears in 16.8% of failed Aston Martin DB9 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Aston Martin DB9?: The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 11.6% of all Aston Martin DB9 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Aston Martin DB9 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 41,066 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Does a Aston Martin DB9 get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 9 to 11 years old, 95.7% of Aston Martin DB9 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 89.1%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.