South East · postcode area RG
Reading MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Reading area pass 74.7% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 31 of 118 areas in Britain. From 506,805 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failures here, ranking 115 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Reading is 2.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 74,795 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Reading
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 damaged14.5%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.2%
- 3.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.9%
- 4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.5%
- 5.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.2%
- 6.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.5%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.8%
- 8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.5%
- 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc5.4%
- 10.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc5.4%
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged13.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.6% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.0% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.9% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.9% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Reading
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Reading
- Ford66,155 tests
- Volkswagen50,143 tests
- Vauxhall41,918 tests
- BMW34,285 tests
- Mercedes-Benz29,798 tests
- Audi29,098 tests
- Toyota26,834 tests
- Nissan22,049 tests
South East
Other areas in South East
- Slough78.8% · #3
- Dartford76.2% · #17
- Medway74.8% · #27
- Milton Keynes74.3% · #33
- Redhill74.0% · #37
- Oxford73.0% · #49
- Tonbridge72.7% · #55
- Canterbury72.2% · #58
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Southampton71.8% · #63
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Reading?
- 74.7% of MOT tests in the Reading postcode area (RG) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is above the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 74.8%. That ranks Reading 31 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Reading?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Reading is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 14.5% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (10.2%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 115 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Reading, 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 Reading 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 Reading 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