How reliable is the Saab 900 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Saab 900, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 63.5% across 2,115 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 Saab 900?

The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 25.6% of all Saab 900 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Saab 900 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 131,015 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

Saab 900 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 2,115 recorded MOT tests of the Saab 900, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 2,115 MOT tests, 63.5% of Saab 900 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Saab 900 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 31.0% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 131,015 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

63.5%unadjusted, not comparable2,115 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 900. 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 2,115 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Saab 900 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 repaired31.0%
201 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement17.1%
111 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
3.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.5%
68 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
4.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen9.9%
64 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
5.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired9.9%
64 occurrencesSeat belt anchorage corroded or weakened explained
6.A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.1%
59 occurrencesDirection indicator not working explained
7.Exhaust system leaking or insecure9.1%
59 occurrencesExhaust leaking or insecure explained
8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.5%
55 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
9.Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.0%
52 occurrencesSteering rack gaiter split, damaged or missing explained
10.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced8.0%
52 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Saab 900 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users25.6%
542 tests
2.A tyre seriously damaged13.9%
294 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured11.3%
240 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.9%
231 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.5%
222 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded8.6%
182 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
7.Exhaust system leaking or insecure8.5%
179 testsExhaust leaking or insecure explained
8.A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded8.0%
170 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained

What gets tested

The 900 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 131,015
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol99.8%

Trim names grouped into this model (17)

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

900 I 16V
900 I 2
900 I AUTO
900 S AERO TURBO
900 S CONVERTIBLE
900 S TURBO
900 SE
900 SE AUTO
900 SE T TALLADEGA AUTO
900 SE TURBO
900 SE TURBO AUTO
900 T 16S CONVERTIBLE
900 TURBO
900 TURBO 16 S
900 TURBO 3 DOHC 16
900 TURBO CONVERTIBLE
900 TURBO S 16V

Check a specific Saab 900

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

Compare within the range

Other Saab models

Saab 9-3 — 63.6% unadjusted
Saab 9-5 — 65.6% unadjusted
All Saab models

Common questions

How reliable is the Saab 900 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Saab 900, 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 63.5% across 2,115 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 Saab 900?: 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 31.0% of failed Saab 900 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 Saab 900?: The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 25.6% of all Saab 900 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Saab 900 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 131,015 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.