Mitsubishi Challenger
From 324 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, a suspension pin and bush or joint excessively worn. The top issue, 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, caused 40 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| 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 | 40 |
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 26 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 25 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 22 |
| 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 | 22 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 20 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 19 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 12 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 11 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 11 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 44.2% of Challenger failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 32.2% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £173.
Mitsubishi Challenger on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 55 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 55. At this rate, roughly 6.5 years until none remain. Now at 21.8% of its peak (1,681 in 2004 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 59 | 307 | +0 | -1 | -1 |
| 2025 Q2 | 63 | 304 | +0 | -3 | -3 |
| 2025 Q1 | 68 | 302 | +0 | -20 | -20 |
| 2024 Q4 | 74 | 316 | +0 | -31 | -31 |
| 2024 Q3 | 80 | 341 | +0 | -11 | -11 |
| 2024 Q2 | 85 | 347 | +0 | -2 | -2 |
| 2024 Q1 | 89 | 345 | +1 | -3 | -2 |
| 2023 Q4 | 95 | 341 | +0 | -3 | -3 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 62.9% | body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Challengers tested had between 107,712 and 173,421 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 139,488 median miles, the Challenger has 0.028 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 Challenger MOT pass rate?
The Mitsubishi Challenger has a 61.1% MOT pass rate based on 324 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mitsubishi Challenger?
The most common MOT failure on the Mitsubishi Challenger is 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, which caused 40 failures. Other common issues include body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point.
How many Mitsubishi Challengers are on UK roads?
There are 59 Mitsubishi Challengers currently licensed on UK roads, with 307 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mitsubishi Challenger at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mitsubishi Challenger is 139,488 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 107,712 and 173,421 miles.
Buying a used Challenger?
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 61.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £173 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 44.2% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.