The picture
Stilo: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 1,471 MOT tests, the Stilo returns 61.1% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. Worn suspension bushes and a weak handbrake round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 92,492, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
81 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
- 02
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
80 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 03
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
72 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
72 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 05
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
60 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 06
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
58 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
55 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 08
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
51 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 09
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
50 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 10
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
47 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£170–£560
If every one of this Stilo's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a Stilo?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Stilo and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.