How reliable is the Tvr Chimaera compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Tvr Chimaera, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 86.6% across 2,411 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 Tvr Chimaera?

The item recorded most often is "Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement", which appears in 15.3% of failed Tvr Chimaera 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 Tvr Chimaera?

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 13.0% of all Tvr Chimaera tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Tvr Chimaera usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 57,570 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

Tvr Chimaera MOT pass rate & common failures

From 2,411 recorded MOT tests of the Tvr Chimaera, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 2,411 MOT tests, 86.6% of Tvr Chimaera tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Tvr Chimaera 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 parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which appears in 15.3% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 57,570 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

86.6%unadjusted, not comparable2,411 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Chimaera. 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 2,411 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

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

1.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement15.3%
42 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
2.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements12.4%
34 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning11.3%
31 occurrencesLamp not working explained
4.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer10.2%
28 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
5.Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits8.8%
24 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
6.Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits8.4%
23 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
7.Emissions levels exceed default limits8.0%
22 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
8.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen7.7%
21 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
9.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.7%
21 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
10.Stop lamps all missing or inoperative6.9%
19 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Tvr Chimaera 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 users13.0%
314 tests
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured4.4%
107 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged4.3%
104 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users3.3%
80 tests
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.3%
79 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded3.2%
78 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened2.7%
66 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
8.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced1.8%
44 testsCorrosion in a structural area explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Tvr Chimaera

The 19 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

What gets tested

The Chimaera fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 57,570
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol100.0%

Check a specific Tvr Chimaera

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

Compare within the range

Other Tvr models

Tvr Tuscan — 90.3% unadjusted
All Tvr models

Common questions

How reliable is the Tvr Chimaera compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Tvr Chimaera, 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 86.6% across 2,411 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 Tvr Chimaera?: The item recorded most often is "Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement", which appears in 15.3% of failed Tvr Chimaera 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 Tvr Chimaera?: 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 13.0% of all Tvr Chimaera tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Tvr Chimaera usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 57,570 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.