3,248 tests in 2025
Aston Martin V8 reliability and MOT pass rate
92.8% passed first time. The 7.2% fail rate is 15.4 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 18 years old with 42,109 miles.
Pass rate
92.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 7.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
42,109 mi
18 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2 | — |
| 6-9 years | 10 | — |
| 10-13 years | 140 | — |
| 14+ years | 3,096 | 7.2% |
What the V8 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous32.6%
- Brakes17 dangerous22.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks21.9%
- Visibility1 dangerous21.5%
- Tyres37 dangerous16.3%
- Suspension1 dangerous15.5%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems5.6%
- Body, chassis, structure3%
Is the V8 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1.3 points to 7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.4 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,218 | 15 | 8.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 3,217 | 16 | 8.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,628 | 17 | 7.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,887 | 18 | 7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical V8 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a V8 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction29 tests
- 2Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively24 tests
- 3Coil spring: fractured or broken22 tests
- 4Washers: not working21 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm16 tests
- 6Position lamp: not working16 tests
- 7Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords12 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits11 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical V8 collects 2.38 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure201 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm163 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick107 tests
- 4Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine78 tests
- 5Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded76 tests
- 6Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened76 tests
- 7Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak65 tests
- 8Flexible brake hoses: ferrule excessively corroded60 tests
Questions
What is the Aston Martin V8 MOT pass rate?
92.8% of the 3,248 Aston Martin V8 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 7.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Aston Martin V8 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction", recorded on 29 failed tests, followed by "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" and "Coil spring: fractured or broken". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 32.6% of failures, brakes appears in 22.3% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 21.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 7.2%. The median Aston Martin V8 tested in 2025 was 18 years old with 42,109 miles.
Is the Aston Martin V8 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1.3 points to 7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.4 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every V8 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 3 safety recalls naming the Aston Martin V8: Aston Martin V8 recalls.
Other Aston Martin models
Checking a particular V8?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.