Mitsubishi Lancer
From 17,628 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a lamp missing and inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,127 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,127 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 635 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 493 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 460 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 448 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 369 |
| a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 326 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 296 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 280 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 268 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 47.3% of failures are serious: 47.3% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 0% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £108.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 76.8% while Diesel versions pass at 66%, a 11 percentage point gap.
Mitsubishi Lancer on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,029 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 28 newly registered, a net loss of 1,001. At this rate, roughly 10.4 years until none remain. Now at 48.4% of its peak (21,395 in 2011 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 6,566 | 3,793 | +5 | -234 | -229 |
| 2025 Q2 | 6,831 | 3,757 | +5 | -254 | -249 |
| 2025 Q1 | 6,926 | 3,911 | +9 | -188 | -179 |
| 2024 Q4 | 7,116 | 3,900 | +9 | -353 | -344 |
| 2024 Q3 | 7,675 | 3,685 | +6 | -250 | -244 |
| 2024 Q2 | 7,961 | 3,643 | +9 | -151 | -142 |
| 2024 Q1 | 8,028 | 3,718 | +10 | -334 | -324 |
| 2023 Q4 | 8,223 | 3,847 | +4 | -243 | -239 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancer Equippe | Gas | 700 | 13% |
| Lancer Gs2 Di-D | Diesel | 599 | 11% |
| Lancer Gs2 | Petrol | 493 | 9% |
| Lancer Equippe A | Gas | 466 | 9% |
| Lancer Evo X Gsr Fq300 Sa | Gas | 367 | 7% |
| Lancer Elegance A | Petrol | 359 | 7% |
| Lancer Elegance | Petrol | 322 | 6% |
| Lancer Juro Di-D | Diesel | 288 | 5% |
| Lancer Gs3 | Diesel | 236 | 4% |
| Lancer Gs4 | Gas | 208 | 4% |
| Lancer Evolution Viii Gsr | Petrol | 203 | 4% |
| Lancer Evo Vi | Petrol | 187 | 3% |
| Lancer Gs3 Di-D Dpf | Diesel | 126 | 2% |
| Lancer Gs4 Di-D | Diesel | 124 | 2% |
| Lancer Gs3 Auto | Petrol | 123 | 2% |
| Lancer Se | Petrol | 120 | 2% |
| Lancer Gs3 Di-D | Diesel | 116 | 2% |
| Lancer Gs2 Di-D Dpf | Diesel | 114 | 2% |
| Lancer Gs4 Auto | Petrol | 107 | 2% |
| Lancer Evo Vii | Petrol | 100 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 88.5% | lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2011 | 68.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2010 | 68.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2009 | 72.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
10 earlier years
| 2008 | 73.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2007 | 71.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 73.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2005 | 74.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 90.3% | emissions levels exceed default limits, 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 |
| 2003 | 89.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2001 | 87.2% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2000 | 89.4% | lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, exhaust system leaking or insecure |
| 1999 | 86.5% | emissions levels exceed default limits, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
| 1998 | 94.6% | a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated |
Typical mileage
Half of all Lancers tested had between 73,483 and 133,205 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 102,501 median miles, the Lancer has 0.025 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 Lancer MOT pass rate?
The Mitsubishi Lancer has a 74.3% MOT pass rate based on 17,628 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mitsubishi Lancer?
The most common MOT failure on the Mitsubishi Lancer is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,127 failures. Other common issues include a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
How many Mitsubishi Lancers are on UK roads?
There are 6,566 Mitsubishi Lancers currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,793 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mitsubishi Lancer at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mitsubishi Lancer is 102,501 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 73,483 and 133,205 miles.
Buying a used Lancer?
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 74.3% pass rate and an average repair bill of £108 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.