1,145 tests in 2025
Mitsubishi Space reliability and MOT pass rate
51.3% passed first time. The 48.7% fail rate is 26.1 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 21 years old with 85,869 miles.
Pass rate
51.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 48.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
85,869 mi
21 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 6 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,136 | 48.8% |
What the Space 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.
- Suspension42 dangerous58.6%
- Brakes90 dangerous40%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous35.8%
- Body, chassis, structure6 dangerous31.7%
- Steering2 dangerous18.6%
- Tyres128 dangerous18.6%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous15.6%
- Visibility14%
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Space in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength166 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt77 tests
- 3Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements60 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively59 tests
- 5Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect57 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded53 tests
- 7Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn47 tests
- 8Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt46 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Space collects 3.98 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded243 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm223 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened166 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure162 tests
- 5Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength158 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine156 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn134 tests
- 8Registration plates: inscription illegible112 tests
Questions
What is the Mitsubishi Space MOT pass rate?
51.3% of the 1,145 Mitsubishi Space first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 48.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mitsubishi Space usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength", recorded on 166 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements". By section, suspension appears in 58.6% of failures, brakes appears in 40% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 35.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 48.8%. The median Mitsubishi Space tested in 2025 was 21 years old with 85,869 miles.
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 Space 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 Space?
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.