1,148 tests in 2025
Daihatsu Copen reliability and MOT pass rate
72.9% passed first time. The 27.1% fail rate is 4.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 18 years old with 58,651 miles.
Pass rate
72.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 27.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
58,651 mi
18 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 3 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 3 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,140 | 27.3% |
What the Copen 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.
- Suspension6 dangerous46%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous28%
- Body, chassis, structure8 dangerous23.5%
- Brakes22 dangerous23.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks18.6%
- Tyres61 dangerous14.8%
- Visibility1 dangerous12.5%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems12.2%
Is the Copen getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1 point to 27.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,423 | 15 | 26.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,382 | 16 | 27.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,096 | 17 | 26.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,148 | 18 | 27.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Copen 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 Copen in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength98 tests
- 2Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively27 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded25 tests
- 4Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced24 tests
- 5Integral vehicle structure condition: corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced24 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction23 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases20 tests
- 8Coil spring: fractured or broken20 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Copen collects 2.94 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 structure172 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded151 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened121 tests
- 4Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength86 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm65 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine54 tests
- 7Flexible brake hoses: ferrule excessively corroded53 tests
- 8Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases47 tests
Questions
What is the Daihatsu Copen MOT pass rate?
72.9% of the 1,148 Daihatsu Copen first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 27.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Daihatsu Copen usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength", recorded on 98 failed tests, followed by "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" and "Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded". By section, suspension appears in 46% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 28% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 23.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 27.3%. The median Daihatsu Copen tested in 2025 was 18 years old with 58,651 miles.
Is the Daihatsu Copen getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1 point to 27.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 Copen trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Daihatsu models
Checking a particular Copen?
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.