How reliable is the Daihatsu Copen compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Daihatsu Copen, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 68.3% across 1,232 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 Daihatsu Copen?

The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 25.3% of all Daihatsu Copen tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Daihatsu Copen usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 61,262 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.

Model reliability file

Daihatsu Copen MOT pass rate & common failures

From 1,232 recorded MOT tests of the Daihatsu Copen, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 1,232 MOT tests, 68.3% of Daihatsu Copen tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Daihatsu Copen 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 strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which appears in 57.1% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 61,262 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

68.3%unadjusted, not comparable1,232 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Copen. 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 1,232 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

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

1.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired57.1%
192 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced14.6%
49 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
3.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired14.0%
47 occurrencesSeat belt anchorage corroded or weakened explained
4.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen11.9%
40 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
5.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded8.9%
30 occurrencesBrake pipe corroded explained
6.A tyre seriously damaged7.7%
26 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
7.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.4%
25 occurrencesLamp not working explained
8.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction7.1%
24 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
9.Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point6.8%
23 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
10.A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED6.3%
21 occurrencesHeadlamp not working explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Daihatsu Copen 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 damaged25.3%
312 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded17.8%
219 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured13.6%
168 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired11.8%
145 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements8.2%
101 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded7.9%
97 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained
7.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users4.9%
60 tests
8.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced4.6%
57 testsCorrosion in a structural area explained

What gets tested

The Copen fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 61,262
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol100.0%

Check a specific Daihatsu Copen

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

Compare within the range

Other Daihatsu models

Daihatsu Sirion — 60.4% unadjusted
Daihatsu Terios — 58.6% unadjusted
Daihatsu Fourtrak — 66.6% unadjusted
Daihatsu Charade — 58.2% unadjusted
Daihatsu Hijet — 62.6% unadjusted
Daihatsu Materia — 64.6% unadjusted
All Daihatsu models

Common questions

How reliable is the Daihatsu Copen compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Daihatsu Copen, 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 68.3% across 1,232 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 Daihatsu Copen?: The item recorded most often is "The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired", which appears in 57.1% of failed Daihatsu Copen 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 Daihatsu Copen?: The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 25.3% of all Daihatsu Copen tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Daihatsu Copen usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 61,262 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.

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.