11 minute read
Want to find out which supermini is most reliable? Read on.
Welcome to the first in a series of posts we’re putting together on what MOT data can tell us about which cars you should be considering when buying used. We’ve carried out an analysis of the online MOT history data that the government publishes and have discovered some interesting things about the condition of the cars that are on Britain’s roads today.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders SMMT), the most popular used car currently is the Ford Fiesta supermini. Research by the University of Buckingham suggests that 5-6 year old cars account for over a quarter of used car purchases, so today we’re looking at which superminis up to seven years old tend to do best when it’s MOT time as these are the cars that a lot of us are looking to buy.
Here at CarXpert we’ve developed a unique way of rating cars based on their MOT history. We give cars a rating of between one and five stars based on their MOT failures, MOT advisories, and overall MOT history.
A car’s MOT history can give you a good idea of both its condition and how well it’s been looked after. If you have a used car that you’re considering, click on the “Rate a Car” button at the top of the page, enter the registration number, and CarXpert will give you its ratings. And it’s free!
Using our rating system, we’ve identified which superminis perform best when they have their MOT tests. We look at types of issues that would cause a car to fail its MOT, and also the issues that MOT testers would warn owners about. We then calculate an overall rating for each car Using those ratings we can then come up with an average rating for each make and model of car, and it’s that analysis that we’ve used to create the list below.
The top reasons for cars failing their MOTs, particularly newer cars like these, are worn tyres, brakes or windscreen wipers. In the guide below we’ll highlight not just the best performing cars in terms of MOT tests, but also what to look out for on each model outside of those MOT items that affect most cars. While these superminis perform better than average at MOT time, they each have some components that can cause problems, and we’ve identified these by analysing MOT data.
How We’ve Calculated Our Rankings
To come up with our rankings we’ve analysed MOT results for superminis that are between 6 and 11 years old using our CarXpert algorithms. We used this age range because we wanted to look at cars that had had a number of MOTs, as we’re assuming that people tend to keep their cars for a few years so would like to know which are the best cars over a period of time. We’ve looked at both items that have caused cars to fail their MOTs and also Advisory items that owners have been made aware of by MOT testers. CarXpert’s algorithms gives each car a star rating for Failures and Advisories, and then we’ve looked at the average ratings for both for each make and model.
How CarXpert’s Star Ratings Work
CarXpert has analysed huge amounts of data about MOT results and can rate cars on a 1 to 5 star scale in terms of how good their MOT results are compared to cars of the same age:
- For a car to get five stars it must have had zero failure or advisories – nothing has ever been reported by an MOT tester
- A four star car is one with better than average MOT results – some issues have been found during MOTs, but fewer than the typical number
- A three star car is around the average for MOT results – this car has had about the number of issues found that would be expected
- A two star car is worse than average for MOT results – more issues have been found during MOTs than would be expected
- A car that only gets one star has much worse than average MOT results – a lot more issues have been found at MOTs than would be expected
How We’ve Identified What To Look Out For
As well as ranking each make and model, we’ve also used CarXpert’s technology to analyse what items typically cause each type of car to fail MOTs, and therefore what you should be looking out for if you’re thinking of buying one. The most common reasons that all types of cars fail MOTs on are normal wear and tear items like tyres, wiper blades or bulbs, but there are usually issues that occur more frequently on particular types of car, and it’s those that we’ve highlighted for each car in our list.
Number One – Honda Jazz
Japanese cars have a reputation for reliability, and the Honda Jazz bears this out, with an overall rating of 3.94 stars out of a possible 5.
Below you can see what percentages of Jazz have been rated in each of CarXpert’s one to five star categories.
What To Look Out For
As you might expect for a model that’s at the top of our rankings, not too much tends to wrong. When issues are identified by MOT testers, they tend to be the common wear and tear items like worn tyres or wipers.
There are a few other things though that can cause problems come MOT time, so even though these Hondas are the best in class in terms of MOT results, here are some things to look out for:
While brake pads wear out on all cars, Honda Jazzs fail on low brakes pads disproportionately. It’s hard to check the brake pads without getting the wheels off, so if you’re looking at a Jazz have a look at the MOT history to see if the brake pads have been mentioned as an advisory and ask the owner when the last time was the pads were changed – both front and rear.
Having a parking brake that isn’t working adequately also crops up more frequently than for other cars, so check that the handbrake will hold the car on a hill if you’re looking at a Jazz.
Brake pipes can corrode, particularly at the rear. This isn’t something you can check yourself, so again having a look at the MOT history for any mention of corrosion is a good idea.
Front suspension ball joint covers can fail – another item that is hard to check at the roadside and would be worth looking out for on the MOT history.
If you’re looking at a particular Jazz you can see the MOT history by clicking on the “Rate a Car” button at the top and entering the registration number here to get the rating we’ve given that car.
MOTs focus on roadworthiness, so an MOT won’t identify issues with things like, for example, radios, and there’s also the question of what trim levels or options are best to look for when buying. There’s a link to a buyer’s guide that might help you with these kind of things here.
Number Two – Toyota Yaris
The car in the second place spot is also Japanese. Toyota’s Yaris comes in with an average rating of 3.75 stars.
The chart below shows what proportion of Yaris fall into our five-star rating categories.
What To Look Out For
Apart from the usual wear and tear items, there are a few things to look out for if you’re considering a used Yaris.
Front springs can break, which will trigger an MOT failure. This isn’t something you can see unless the car is on the ramp, but when test driving the car listen out for any knocking noises when driving over a rough road surface or potholes.
As with the Jazz, corrosion on the rear brake pipes can be a problem on a Yaris. Again, checking the MOT history for the car is a good idea.
Rear wheel bearings can be a cause of MOT failures – testers will fail a car if the bearing feels rough when they rotate the wheel, and this is relatively common on Yarises. If the problem wasn’t too bad then it may have been reported as an advisory on the last MOT, so check the history. Also, when test driving the car listen out for any whining or humming noises from the rear, particularly when driving round corners.
Check that all of the seat belt buckles work properly, as these can cause an MOT fail.
MOTs focus on roadworthiness, so an MOT won’t identify issues with things like, for example, radios, and there’s also the question of what trim levels or options are best to look for when buying. There’s a link to a buyer’s guide that might help you with these kind of things here.
Number Three – Audi A1
The first non-Japanese car in our rankings is the Audi A1, with an overall rating of 3.62 stars.
Below you can see what percentage of A1 are in each of our five-star categories.
What To Look Out For
While brakes are something that wear out on all cars, brake discs (both front and rear) seen to be prone to wearing or corroding on A1. Check the MOT history to see if there have been any mentions of the brake discs and ask the owner if they’ve been replaced.
Possibly because of issues with the brake discs a disproportionate number of A1s fail MOTs because of “Fluctuating brake effort front and rear” – which means that the brakes don’t slow the car down consistently. Apart from checking the points mentioned above, find a safe place during the test drive to brake hard to see if anything feels odd about the braking.
A1s can have issues with the SRS (arirbag) lights – and these are an MOT failure. Check that the SRS light on the dashboard comes on with the ignition and that it goes out when the engine is on.
Sticking with electrical items, A1s are prone to having reversing lights not working – and that’s an MOT failure now, so check that they come on when reverse gear is engaged. Horns are also prone to failing, so try the horn.
Number plates can cause an MOT failure if the characters have been moved or modified, and A1s are unusually prone to having this trigger an MOT fail, so make sure the number plates haven’t been altered to try and spell out the owner’s name or a phrase.
MOTs focus on roadworthiness, so an MOT won’t identify issues with things like, for example, radios, and there’s also the question of what trim levels or options are best to look for when buying. There’s a link to a buyer’s guide that might help you with these kind of things here.
Number Four – MINI Hatchback
BMW’s modern take on the Mini is the first European car, in at number three just behind the Yaris with an average rating of 3.61 stars.
What To Look Out For
On petrol-engined Minis a disproportionate number fail because their exhaust emissions are too high. Check the MOT history for any mentions of this as while sometimes it’s the result of one component failing it can also be caused by some serious underlying problems with the engine.
Make sure that the engine management light comes on with the ignition and goes out when the engine is running, as these lights are part of the MOT test now and will cause a fail if they are not working properly – as can happen more frequently on Minis than other cars.
Have a look at the fuel filler – take the cap off and check the condition of the rubber seal, as these can perish, which presents the risk of a fuel leak and therefore can cause an MOT fail.
Front shock absorbers can cause MOT fails, either through leaking fluid or becoming ineffective. On the test drive listen for any unusual noises from the suspension and look at the MOT history as fluid leaks may be picked up as an advisory if not too serious when tested – but they will deteriorate, so if there are any advisories be sure that the car has had new shock absorbers fitted.
MOTs focus on roadworthiness, so an MOT won’t identify issues with things like, for example, radios, and there’s also the question of what trim levels or options are best to look for when buying. There’s a link to a buyer’s guide that might help you with these kind of things here.
Number 5 – Skoda Fabia
Fifth position in our rankings goes to the Skoda Fabia, with an average rating of 3.54 stars
What To Look Out For
As with some of the other cars in this list, the handbrake can cause MOT failures, so make sure that it will hold the car.
Brakes in general need to be checked when looking at used Fabias. Brakes can bind (stick on) or become imbalanced – where there is more braking effect on one side of the car than the other. So, when test driving a Fabia make sure you find a safe bit of road and brake hard so that you can make sure that the car pulls up quickly and in a straight line.
One other thing to watch out for is exhaust leaks. These tend to be at the engine end of the exhaust, so if looking at a used Fabia open the bonnet and rev the engine while and check there aren’t any unusual noises.
For all of the above, have a look at the car’s MOT history to see if any of them are mentioned as advisories on recent MOTs. If so, check that work has been carried out to address any problems.
MOTs focus on roadworthiness, so an MOT won’t identify issues with things like, for example, radios, and there’s also the question of what trim levels or options are best to look for when buying. There’s a link to a buyer’s guide that might help you with these kind of things here.
I hope you found this article helpful, and remember – you can get a free CarXpert rating for any used car by clicking on the “Rate a Car” button at the top of the page and entering its registration number.