1,185 tests in 2025
Mitsubishi Delica reliability and MOT pass rate
65.1% passed first time. The 34.9% fail rate is 12.3 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 19 years old with 108,979 miles.
Pass rate
65.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
108,979 mi
19 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 44 | — |
| 6-9 years | 168 | — |
| 10-13 years | 78 | — |
| 14+ years | 894 | 35.3% |
What the Delica 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.
- Suspension23 dangerous44%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment5 dangerous42.5%
- Brakes38 dangerous35.3%
- Body, chassis, structure10 dangerous34.1%
- Steering5 dangerous23.9%
- Visibility20%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous15.2%
- Tyres24 dangerous6%
Is the Delica getting worse?
The fail rate fell 2.7 points to 34.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,526 | 16 | 37.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,442 | 17 | 35.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,209 | 18 | 35.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,184 | 19 | 34.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Delica 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 Delica in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rear fog lamp: not working76 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt70 tests
- 3Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt56 tests
- 4Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength51 tests
- 5Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements40 tests
- 6Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively36 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn31 tests
- 8Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid28 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Delica collects 3.25 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.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine224 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn158 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded142 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)100 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened92 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick84 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm75 tests
- 8Wheel bearings: has excessive play59 tests
Questions
What is the Mitsubishi Delica MOT pass rate?
65.1% of the 1,185 Mitsubishi Delica first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mitsubishi Delica usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rear fog lamp: not working", recorded on 76 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt". By section, suspension appears in 44% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 42.5% of failures, brakes appears in 35.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 27.3%; at 14+ years it was 35.3%. The median Mitsubishi Delica tested in 2025 was 19 years old with 108,979 miles.
Is the Mitsubishi Delica getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 2.7 points to 34.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 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 Delica 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 Mitsubishi models
Checking a particular Delica?
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.