Verdict
The Dacia Sandero passes its MOT first time on 71.4% of tests, 10.1 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (81.5%). That puts it ahead of 2% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2022 Sandero does best (beats 18% of cars) and the 2019 worst (beats 0%).
Of its engines, the 1.1 Petrol does best (beats 5%) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 72.0% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 64.8% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 79.9% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 70.3% | Beats 5% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 86.5% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 64.4% | 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. - Windscreen washers 2.6× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Coil springs 2.1× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Suspension ball joints 3.0× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Headlight bulbs & units 2.1× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides. - Brake performance 2.8× typical
On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal.
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 | 5.8% | 1.9% | 3.1× |
| Windscreen wipers | 4.0% | 2.0% | 2.0× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 3.5% | 0.5% | 7.0× |
| Windscreen washers | 3.5% | 1.4% | 2.6× |
| Coil springs | 2.7% | 1.3% | 2.1× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.2× |
| Brake pads | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1.3× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.1% | 3.1% | 0.7× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.0% | 0.9% | 2.1× |
| Suspension ball joints | 2.0% | 0.7% | 3.0× |
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 | 57.7 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 38.3 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 35.6 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 35.0 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 27.1 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 26.5 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 21.7 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 20.3 |
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 Sandero1 engine89.0% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 89.0% | Beats 33% | D |
2022 Dacia Sandero2 engines87.7% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.7% | Beats 16% | E |
| 1.0 GB | 87.5% | Beats 29% | D |
2021 Dacia Sandero3 engines86.7% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.6% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.0 GB | 84.8% | Beats 14% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 81.2% | Beats 1% | E |
2020 Dacia Sandero2 engines80.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 81.5% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 77.9% | Beats 0% | E |
2019 Dacia Sandero3 engines77.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 78.5% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 75.7% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 75.7% | Beats 2% | E |
2018 Dacia Sandero3 engines75.8% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 76.3% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 75.4% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 73.5% | Beats 2% | E |
2017 Dacia Sandero4 engines72.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 73.7% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 70.1% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 73.0% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 71.1% | Beats 0% | E |
2016 Dacia Sandero3 engines70.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 71.0% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 68.3% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 73.1% | Beats 2% | E |
2015 Dacia Sandero4 engines66.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 66.9% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 62.8% | Beats 1% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 69.7% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 64.4% | Beats 1% | E |
2014 Dacia Sandero3 engines64.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 64.8% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 59.9% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 69.3% | Beats 7% | E |
2013 Dacia Sandero3 engines65.8% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 66.0% | Beats 10% | E |
| 1.1 Petrol | 68.7% | Beats 19% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 61.9% | Beats 10% | E |
FAQ
What is the Dacia Sandero MOT pass rate?
71.4% of MOT tests on the Dacia Sandero were passed first time, based on 741,710 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2013–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 81.5% of the time.
Is the Dacia Sandero 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 2% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Dacia Sandero year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2022 Sandero does best for its age and mileage: it beats 18% of cars on UK roads. The 2019 does worst: it beats 0%.
Which Dacia Sandero engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.1 Petrol does best: it beats 5% of cars on UK roads. The 1.0 Petrol does worst: it beats 1%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Dacia Sandero?
The most common failure items are headlight aim, windscreen wipers, drive shaft (CV) joints. Compared with similar cars, headlight aim comes up 3.1× as often.