Verdict
The Mitsubishi Colt passes its MOT first time on 57.2% of tests, 4.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (61.9%). That puts it ahead of 30% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2006 Colt does best (beats 35% of cars) and the 2008 worst (beats 20%).
Of its engines, the 1.3 Petrol does best (beats 32%) and the 1.5 Petrol worst (beats 27%).
Better than average on brakes.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 60.4% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.1 Petrol | 55.5% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 55.7% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 50.7% | Beats 25% | D |
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
- Windscreen wipers 2.3× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Number plate lights 2.2× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Headlight aim 1.5× typical
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Track rod ends 2.0× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres. - Exhaust emissions (catalyst) 1.5× typical
Check past MOT emissions readings in the car's history: rising readings can mean catalyst or sensor problems. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
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 | 6.5% | 4.4% | 1.5× |
| Sidelights | 6.4% | 4.4% | 1.5× |
| Windscreen wipers | 6.3% | 2.8% | 2.3× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 5.3% | 2.1% | 2.5× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.4% | 3.7% | 1.2× |
| Number plate lights | 4.1% | 1.8% | 2.2× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 4.0% | 3.2% | 1.2× |
| Brake lights | 3.8% | 3.6% | 1.0× |
| Track rod ends | 3.4% | 1.7% | 2.0× |
| Coil springs | 3.4% | 3.7% | 0.9× |
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 | 65.3 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 61.8 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 53.7 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 53.0 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 35.4 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 34.2 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 33.4 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 30.3 |
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.
2013 Mitsubishi Colt2 engines71.4% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 71.2% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.1 Petrol | 71.6% | Beats 39% | D |
2012 Mitsubishi Colt2 engines69.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 70.3% | Beats 37% | D |
| 1.1 Petrol | 67.4% | Beats 25% | D |
2011 Mitsubishi Colt2 engines67.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 67.7% | Beats 41% | C |
| 1.1 Petrol | 67.0% | Beats 40% | C |
2010 Mitsubishi Colt3 engines62.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 62.9% | Beats 34% | D |
| 1.1 Petrol | 60.8% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 67.3% | Beats 68% | B |
2009 Mitsubishi Colt3 engines59.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 58.7% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.1 Petrol | 59.3% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 60.8% | Beats 35% | D |
2008 Mitsubishi Colt4 engines53.5% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Petrol | 53.0% | Beats 19% | E |
| 1.5 Petrol | 55.1% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.3 Petrol | 55.3% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 50.0% | Beats 18% | E |
2007 Mitsubishi Colt4 engines53.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Petrol | 53.3% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 56.0% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 51.4% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 54.0% | Beats 24% | D |
2006 Mitsubishi Colt4 engines53.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Petrol | 54.0% | Beats 38% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 56.0% | Beats 34% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 53.2% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 49.7% | Beats 28% | D |
2005 Mitsubishi Colt4 engines52.2% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Petrol | 51.7% | Beats 34% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 52.0% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 54.9% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 51.5% | Beats 41% | C |
2004 Mitsubishi Colt3 engines50.3% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Petrol | 50.7% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 51.0% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 48.5% | Beats 26% | D |
FAQ
What is the Mitsubishi Colt MOT pass rate?
57.2% of MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Colt were passed first time, based on 242,211 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2004–2013. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 61.9% of the time.
Is the Mitsubishi Colt reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 30% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Mitsubishi Colt year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2006 Colt does best for its age and mileage: it beats 35% of cars on UK roads. The 2008 does worst: it beats 20%.
Which Mitsubishi Colt engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.3 Petrol does best: it beats 32% of cars on UK roads. The 1.5 Petrol does worst: it beats 27%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Mitsubishi Colt?
The most common failure items are headlight aim, sidelights, windscreen wipers. Compared with similar cars, windscreen wipers comes up 2.3× as often.