South East · postcode area TN
Tonbridge MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Tonbridge area pass 72.7% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 55 of 118 areas in Britain. From 444,864 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 6.8 times per 100 failures here, ranking 54 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Tonbridge is 0.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 75,462 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Tonbridge
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 requirements11.1%
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged9.8%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.4%
- 4.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.3%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 5.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.2%
- 6.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.2%
- 7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.1%
- 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.8%
- 9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.5%
- 10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.8%
Corrosion
6.8 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Tonbridge 54 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 requirements26.3% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged13.8% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.7% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.9% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded5.1% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Tonbridge
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Tonbridge
- Ford55,839 tests
- Volkswagen45,741 tests
- Vauxhall31,194 tests
- Toyota26,118 tests
- BMW22,297 tests
- Mercedes-Benz21,252 tests
- Nissan20,923 tests
- Audi20,192 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
- Canterbury72.2% · #58
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Southampton71.8% · #63
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Tonbridge?
- 72.7% of MOT tests in the Tonbridge postcode area (TN) 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 72.1%. That ranks Tonbridge 55 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Tonbridge?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Tonbridge is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 11.1% of failed tests, followed by "A tyre seriously damaged" (9.8%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 6.8 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 54 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Tonbridge, 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 Tonbridge 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 Tonbridge 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