The picture
Gl: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 3,805 MOT tests, the Gl returns 82.0% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a split CV-joint boot. Windscreen damage and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 93,580, 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
179 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
106 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
101 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 04
A tyre cords visible or damaged
69 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 05
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
57 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
57 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 07
A tyre seriously damaged
46 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 08
Reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface
45 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 09
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
40 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
38 occurrences · 1.0% 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
£160–£280
If every one of this GL'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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Build your own retest budget.
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 GL?
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 GL 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.