South East · postcode area SO
Southampton MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Southampton area pass 71.8% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 63 of 118 areas in Britain. From 406,858 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 3.4 times per 100 failures here, ranking 76 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Southampton is 0.4 percentage points below the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 77,049 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Southampton
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 damaged12.5%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.2%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.4%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.9%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.5%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.2%
- 7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened6.7%
- 8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.5%
- 9.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.5%
- 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.1%
Corrosion
3.4 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Southampton 76 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 requirements24.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged14.4% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.2% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.8% of tests
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.8% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Southampton
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Southampton
- Ford54,254 tests
- Volkswagen39,996 tests
- Vauxhall32,446 tests
- BMW22,026 tests
- Mercedes-Benz21,198 tests
- Toyota19,857 tests
- Audi18,623 tests
- Nissan17,585 tests
South East
Other areas in South East
- Slough78.8% · #3
- Dartford76.2% · #17
- Medway74.8% · #27
- Reading74.7% · #31
- Milton Keynes74.3% · #33
- Redhill74.0% · #37
- Oxford73.0% · #49
- Tonbridge72.7% · #55
- Canterbury72.2% · #58
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Southampton?
- 71.8% of MOT tests in the Southampton postcode area (SO) 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 71.1%. That ranks Southampton 63 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Southampton?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Southampton is "A tyre seriously damaged", in 12.5% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (10.2%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 3.4 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 76 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Southampton, 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 Southampton 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 Southampton 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