Verdict
The Dacia Duster passes its MOT first time on 74.1% of tests, 6.8 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (80.8%). That puts it ahead of 7% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2015 Duster does best (beats 15% of cars) and the 2020 worst (beats 0%).
Of its engines, the 1.5 Diesel does best (beats 13%) and the 1.0 Petrol worst (beats 1%).
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 71.2% | Beats 13% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 74.3% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.3 Petrol | 80.6% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 79.3% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.2% | Beats 11% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 79.3% | Beats 1% | E |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Headlight aim 3.1× typical
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Headlight bulbs & units 3.1× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides. - Windscreen wipers 1.8× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Track rod ends 2.3× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres. - Number plate lights 1.6× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlight aim | 6.1% | 1.9% | 3.1× |
| Windscreen wipers | 3.5% | 2.0% | 1.8× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 3.2% | 1.0% | 3.1× |
| Windscreen washers | 2.4% | 1.4% | 1.7× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.4% | 2.0% | 1.2× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 1.9% | 3.3% | 0.6× |
| Track rod ends | 1.5% | 0.7% | 2.3× |
| Brake pipes | 1.3% | 0.1% | 9.1× |
| Coil springs | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.0× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 1.2% | 0.5% | 2.3× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 60.7 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 34.8 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 29.7 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 24.4 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 24.0 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 14.9 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 14.6 |
| Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 12.5 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 Dacia Duster2 engines89.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 89.8% | Beats 61% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.6% | Beats 32% | D |
2022 Dacia Duster4 engines85.9% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 87.0% | Beats 22% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 85.3% | Beats 8% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 84.1% | Beats 8% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 84.1% | Beats 15% | E |
2021 Dacia Duster4 engines80.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 80.3% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 80.2% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 78.4% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 80.1% | Beats 3% | E |
2020 Dacia Duster4 engines77.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 79.4% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 76.3% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 75.6% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 75.0% | Beats 0% | E |
2019 Dacia Duster4 engines76.5% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 75.6% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.3 Petrol | 78.0% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 75.5% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 76.1% | Beats 0% | E |
2018 Dacia Duster3 engines76.7% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 75.7% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 77.0% | Beats 8% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.6% | Beats 10% | E |
2017 Dacia Duster3 engines77.1% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 76.7% | Beats 11% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 78.7% | Beats 10% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 75.7% | Beats 3% | E |
2016 Dacia Duster3 engines75.1% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 74.9% | Beats 16% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 75.1% | Beats 6% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.9% | Beats 25% | D |
2015 Dacia Duster2 engines72.5% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 72.5% | Beats 16% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 72.3% | Beats 6% | E |
2014 Dacia Duster2 engines67.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 67.1% | Beats 13% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 68.8% | Beats 6% | E |
2013 Dacia Duster2 engines63.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 63.4% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 63.3% | Beats 7% | E |
FAQ
What is the Dacia Duster MOT pass rate?
74.1% of MOT tests on the Dacia Duster were passed first time, based on 461,688 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2013–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 80.8% of the time.
Is the Dacia Duster reliable?
On MOT results it rates E (poor): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 7% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Dacia Duster year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2015 Duster does best for its age and mileage: it beats 15% of cars on UK roads. The 2020 does worst: it beats 0%.
Which Dacia Duster engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.5 Diesel does best: it beats 13% of cars on UK roads. The 1.0 Petrol does worst: it beats 1%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Dacia Duster?
The most common failure items are headlight aim, windscreen wipers, headlight bulbs & units. Compared with similar cars, headlight aim comes up 3.1× as often.