Makes › Mitsubishi › Eclipse

Mitsubishi Eclipse reliability

B · Good

MOT pass rates and common problems from 60,548 MOT tests of cars first registered 2018–2021.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
87.0%pass first time
+2.0 ptsvs typical car
Beats 70%of cars
60,548MOT tests

Verdict

The Mitsubishi Eclipse passes its MOT first time on 87.0% of tests, 2.0 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (85.0%). That puts it ahead of 70% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2018 Eclipse does best (beats 75% of cars) and the 2019 worst (beats 68%).

Better than average on tyres, lights & electrics, suspension.

Watch these weak spots

Brakes1.4×as often as a typical car
Windscreen wipers1.6×as often as a typical car
Brake pads1.7×as often as a typical car
Tyre pressure warning (TPMS)2.1×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

75%80%85%90%95%34567890%88%86%86%85%83%
Mitsubishi EclipseTypical car, same age & mileage

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.

2018
Beats 75%
2019
Beats 68%
2020
Beats 61%
2021
Beats 33%

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.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.5 Petrol2018–202160,54887.0%Beats 70%B

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.

Exhaust: 0.4% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 0.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Suspension: 1.3% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 2.2% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 3.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 3.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 2.2% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+1.3 ptsTyres: 3.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+1.1 ptsBrakes: 3.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−1.0 ptsSuspension: 1.3% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+0.4 ptsExhaust: 0.4% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 0.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+0.6 ptsSuspension: 1.3% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 3.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 3.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 2.2% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: 0.4% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 0.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Lights: 2.2% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+1.3 ptsTyres: 3.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+1.1 ptsBrakes: 3.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−1.0 ptsSuspension: 1.3% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+0.4 ptsExhaust: 0.4% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 0.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+0.6 pts
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Brakes: 3.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Tyres
3.9% vs 5.0%
Visibility
3.7% vs 3.2%
Brakes
3.6% vs 2.6%
Lights & electrics
2.2% vs 3.6%
Suspension
1.3% vs 1.7%
Emissions & leaks
0.4% vs 0.9%
Body & structure
0.3% vs 0.6%
Steering
0.2% vs 0.4%
Wheels
0.1% vs 0.2%
Seat belts & airbags
0.1% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Windscreen wipers 1.6× typical
    Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
  • Brake pads 1.7× typical
    Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash.
  • Tyre pressure warning (TPMS) 2.1× typical
    Make sure no tyre-pressure warning light stays on after start-up.
  • Tyre damage & cracking
    Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
  • 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.
  • Headlight aim
    Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

75%80%85%90%95%100%0k10k20k30k40k50k60k70k96%93%88%86%86%84%82%81%
Mitsubishi EclipseTypical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Windscreen wipers3.2%2.0%1.6×
Brake pads2.8%1.6%1.7×
Tyre damage & cracking1.7%3.2%0.5×
Tyre tread depth1.5%1.7%0.9×
Headlight aim1.4%1.5%0.9×
Tyre pressure warning (TPMS)0.9%0.4%2.1×
Windscreen washers0.4%1.2%0.3×
Pins and bushes0.3%0.0%23.5×
Brake discs0.3%0.4%0.8×
Headlight bulbs & units0.3%0.6%0.5×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen31.9
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm25.6
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements15.0
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements14.5
A tyre seriously damaged13.8
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative8.7
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.8
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen4.1
Check another car

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.

2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse1 engine86.6% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.5 Petrol3,03186.6%Beats 33%D
2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse1 engine87.8% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.5 Petrol5,12087.8%Beats 61%B
2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse1 engine87.0% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.5 Petrol20,14687.0%Beats 68%B
2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse1 engine86.9% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.5 Petrol32,25186.9%Beats 75%B

FAQ

What is the Mitsubishi Eclipse MOT pass rate?

87.0% of MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Eclipse were passed first time, based on 60,548 tests between 2020 and 2026 of cars first registered 2018–2021. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 85.0% of the time.

Is the Mitsubishi Eclipse reliable?

On MOT results it rates B (good): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 70% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Mitsubishi Eclipse year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2018 Eclipse does best for its age and mileage: it beats 75% of cars on UK roads. The 2019 does worst: it beats 68%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Mitsubishi Eclipse?

The most common failure items are windscreen wipers, brake pads, tyre damage & cracking. Compared with similar cars, windscreen wipers comes up 1.6× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.