East of England · postcode area CB
Cambridge MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Cambridge area pass 72.9% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 51 of 118 areas in Britain. From 235,701 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 3.7 times per 100 failures here, ranking 75 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Cambridge is 0.6 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 71.7%; the rise after adjustment is the local fleet being older than the national mix. Cars here average 81,149 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Cambridge
Share of failed tests in the area that recorded each item. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.
- 1.A tyre seriously damaged17.1%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened11.0%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.0%
- 4.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements8.6%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.5%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.8%
- 7.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm6.8%
- 8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.2%
- 9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.2%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc5.7%
Corrosion
3.7 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Cambridge 75 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a minor factor in this area's failures, as it is across most of urban England. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements23.7% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged18.1% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured11.5% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.6% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded6.4% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Cambridge
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Cambridge
- Ford29,983 tests
- Volkswagen23,886 tests
- Vauxhall16,219 tests
- Audi13,675 tests
- BMW13,231 tests
- Toyota11,655 tests
- Mercedes-Benz11,640 tests
- Nissan9,898 tests
East of England
Other areas in East of England
- Southend-on-Sea76.7% · #13
- Luton76.5% · #15
- Hemel Hempstead75.3% · #22
- Chelmsford74.7% · #30
- Peterborough74.3% · #32
- St Albans74.0% · #36
- Stevenage73.8% · #40
- Ipswich73.1% · #46
- Colchester73.0% · #48
- Norwich72.4% · #56
- Watford71.2% · #69
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Cambridge?
- 72.9% of MOT tests in the Cambridge postcode area (CB) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is about the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 71.7%. That ranks Cambridge 51 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Cambridge?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Cambridge is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 17.1% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (11.0%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 3.7 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 75 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Cambridge, not the testers. Every MOT station applies the same inspection manual, and DVSA monitors testing standards nationally. A regional difference reflects the local fleet and local conditions — roads, weather, salt, how far cars are driven — rather than how hard the test is.
- Is Cambridge a bad area to buy a used car from?
- The area itself is not a concern. Corrosion is recorded less often on failed tests here than in coastal and northern areas, so a car from Cambridge is, on the evidence, less likely to carry rust problems than one from Scotland or the West Country. The individual car's MOT history still matters far more than its postcode.
Analysis built from DVSA data of