East Midlands · postcode area NN
Northampton MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Northampton area pass 71.1% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 71 of 118 areas in Britain. From 451,762 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 4.9 times per 100 failures here, ranking 69 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Northampton is 1.2 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 80,604 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Northampton
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.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements11.0%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.7%
- 3.A tyre seriously damaged8.4%
- 4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.3%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.0%
- 6.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.8%
- 7.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.7%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.3%
- 9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.3%
- 10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.3%
Corrosion
4.9 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Northampton 69 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a meaningful share of failures here, though well short of the coastal and Scottish extremes. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged13.1% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.4% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.2% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.8% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users6.5% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Northampton
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Northampton
- Ford60,935 tests
- Vauxhall44,113 tests
- Volkswagen43,085 tests
- BMW25,817 tests
- Mercedes-Benz24,576 tests
- Audi24,179 tests
- Nissan21,782 tests
- Peugeot20,393 tests
East Midlands
Other areas in East Midlands
- Leicester75.0% · #25
- Derby74.8% · #28
- Nottingham71.6% · #65
- Lincoln68.1% · #102
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Northampton?
- 71.1% of MOT tests in the Northampton postcode area (NN) 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 70.7%. That ranks Northampton 71 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Northampton?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Northampton is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 11.0% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (10.7%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 4.9 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 69 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Northampton, 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 Northampton 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 Northampton 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