How reliable is the Porsche Carrera compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Porsche Carrera, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 84.5% across 788 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 Porsche Carrera?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 7.8% of all Porsche Carrera tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Porsche Carrera usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 78,216 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

Porsche Carrera MOT pass rate & common failures

From 788 recorded MOT tests of the Porsche Carrera, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 788 MOT tests, 84.5% of Porsche Carrera tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Porsche Carrera 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which appears in 24.0% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 78,216 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

84.5%unadjusted, not comparable788 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Carrera. 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 788 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

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

1.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc24.0%
12 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
2.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake16.0%
8 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning16.0%
8 occurrencesLamp not working explained
4.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen14.0%
7 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
5.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer12.0%
6 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
6.Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements12.0%
6 occurrencesRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained
7.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.0%
6 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements12.0%
6 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
9.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning10.0%
5 occurrencesLamp not working explained
10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements8.0%
4 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

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

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements7.8%
39 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured6.6%
33 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded6.0%
30 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
4.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users5.2%
26 tests
5.A tyre seriously damaged4.2%
21 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.A wheel bearing with excessive play4.2%
21 testsWheel bearing has excessive play or is rough explained
7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn2.0%
10 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
8.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage2.0%
10 testsShock absorber defective explained

What gets tested

The Carrera fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 78,216
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol100.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (11)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

CARRERA 3.0
CARRERA 4S
CARRERA CABRIO SPORT
CARRERA CABRIOLET
CARRERA COUPE
CARRERA COUPE SPORT
CARRERA GT
CARRERA GTS
CARRERA S
CARRERA TARGA
CARRERA TARGA SPORT

Check a specific Porsche Carrera

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

Compare within the range

Other Porsche models

Porsche 911 — 89.5% adjusted
Porsche Macan — 89.5% adjusted
Porsche Boxster — 85.7% adjusted
Porsche Cayenne — 85.3% adjusted
Porsche Cayman — 87.2% adjusted
Porsche Taycan — 91.0% unadjusted
All Porsche models

Common questions

How reliable is the Porsche Carrera compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Porsche Carrera, 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 84.5% across 788 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 Porsche Carrera?: The item recorded most often is "A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc", which appears in 24.0% of failed Porsche Carrera 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 Porsche Carrera?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 7.8% of all Porsche Carrera tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Porsche Carrera usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 78,216 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.