Mitsubishi Canter
VanFrom 1,123 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake and the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired. The top issue, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, caused 71 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 71 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 42 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 42 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 39 |
| a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 31 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 28 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 28 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 28 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 27 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 26 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 19.3% of Canter failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 37.6% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £120.
Mitsubishi Canter on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 108 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 108. At this rate, roughly 9.4 years until none remain. Now at 30.4% of its peak (3,321 in 2006 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 384 | 627 | +0 | -15 | -15 |
| 2025 Q2 | 406 | 620 | +0 | -13 | -13 |
| 2025 Q1 | 406 | 633 | +0 | -41 | -41 |
| 2024 Q4 | 437 | 643 | +0 | -39 | -39 |
| 2024 Q3 | 461 | 658 | +0 | -24 | -24 |
| 2024 Q2 | 477 | 666 | +0 | -0 | +3 |
| 2024 Q1 | 491 | 649 | +0 | -14 | -14 |
| 2023 Q4 | 504 | 650 | +0 | -7 | -7 |
4 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canter 35 Swb | Diesel | 95 | 33% |
| Canter 35 Lwb | Diesel | 87 | 30% |
| Canter Swb | Diesel | 56 | 19% |
| Canter Mwb | Diesel | 54 | 18% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 63.9% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2005 | 71.1% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
| 2004 | 67.9% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all Canters tested had between 112,266 and 208,324 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 153,333 median miles, the Canter has 0.019 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mitsubishi models
| Mitsubishi L200 | 76.9% |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 80.9% |
| Mitsubishi Shogun | 76.8% |
| Mitsubishi Asx | 79.9% |
| Mitsubishi Colt | 64.6% |
Common questions
What is the Mitsubishi Canter MOT pass rate?
The Mitsubishi Canter has a 70.2% MOT pass rate based on 1,123 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mitsubishi Canter?
The most common MOT failure on the Mitsubishi Canter is a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which caused 71 failures. Other common issues include significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake.
How many Mitsubishi Canters are on UK roads?
There are 384 Mitsubishi Canters currently licensed on UK roads, with 627 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mitsubishi Canter at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mitsubishi Canter is 153,333 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 112,266 and 208,324 miles.
Buying a used Canter?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 70.2% pass rate and an average repair bill of £120 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Van insurance works differently to car insurance. Make sure you're comparing like-for-like quotes for your use case. Compare van insurance.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.