The picture
Cl: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,677 MOT tests, the Cl returns 79.5% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. Windscreen damage and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 85,909, 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 tyre cords visible or damaged
42 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
41 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
37 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
35 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
32 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
27 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
26 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 08
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
26 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 09
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
21 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 10
Warning device shows system malfunction
20 occurrences · 1.2% 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 4 failures
£260–£665
If every one of this CL'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 CL?
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 CL 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.