Proton Savvy
From 995 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged and significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 108 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.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 108 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 56 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 55 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 44 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 42 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 40 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 37 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 36 |
| 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 | 33 |
| 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. | 29 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 54% of Savvy failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 6.9% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £108.
Proton Savvy on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 161 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 161. At this rate, roughly 3.7 years until none remain. Now at 18.2% of its peak (3,255 in 2012 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 347 | 245 | +0 | -36 | -36 |
| 2025 Q2 | 374 | 254 | +0 | -27 | -27 |
| 2025 Q1 | 390 | 265 | +0 | -41 | -41 |
| 2024 Q4 | 436 | 260 | +0 | -57 | -57 |
| 2024 Q3 | 486 | 267 | +0 | -39 | -39 |
| 2024 Q2 | 532 | 260 | +0 | -57 | -57 |
| 2024 Q1 | 574 | 275 | +0 | -65 | -65 |
| 2023 Q4 | 650 | 264 | +0 | -37 | -37 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 62.2% | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2010 | 57.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2009 | 59.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2008 | 62.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
2 earlier years
| 2007 | 65.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2006 | 52.6% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Savvys tested had between 39,749 and 66,165 miles on the clock.
At 53,521 median miles, the Savvy has 0.076 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Common questions
What is the Proton Savvy MOT pass rate?
The Proton Savvy has a 59.4% MOT pass rate based on 995 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Proton Savvy?
The most common MOT failure on the Proton Savvy is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 108 failures. Other common issues include a tyre seriously damaged.
How many Proton Savvys are on UK roads?
There are 347 Proton Savvys currently licensed on UK roads, with 245 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Proton Savvy at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Proton Savvy is 53,521 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 39,749 and 66,165 miles.
Buying a used Savvy?
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 59.4% 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.