1997 Bentley Continental — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

94.2%

Latest Pass Rate

1,117

Total Tests (All Years)

50,772 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Bentley Continental as it ages.

12 yrs74.7%

→ ↑5.6%

13 yrs80.3%

→ ↑3.3%

14 yrs83.6%

→ ↓3.9%

15 yrs79.7%

→ ↑4.5%

16 yrs84.2%

→ ↓5.4%

17 yrs78.8%

→ ↑2.1%

18 yrs80.9%

→ ↑0.5%

19 yrs81.4%

→ ↑0.6%

20 yrs82.0%

→ ↑6.2%

21 yrs88.2%

→ ↓5.2%

22 yrs83.0%

→ ↓3.4%

23 yrs79.6%

→ ↑3.5%

24 yrs83.1%

→ ↓0.1%

25 yrs83.0%

→ ↑6.6%

26 yrs89.6%

→ ↑4.6%

27 yrs94.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	74.7%	75
13 yrs	80.3%	61
14 yrs	83.6%	73
15 yrs	79.7%	69
16 yrs	84.2%	76
17 yrs	78.8%	66
18 yrs	80.9%	68
19 yrs	81.4%	70
20 yrs	82.0%	61
21 yrs	88.2%	51
22 yrs	83.0%	47
23 yrs	79.6%	49
24 yrs	83.1%	59
25 yrs	83.0%	53
26 yrs	89.6%	67
27 yrs	94.2%	172

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Bentley Continental pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	94.2%	172
2023 (26 yrs)	89.6%	67
2022 (25 yrs)	83%	53
2021 (24 yrs)	83.1%	59
2020 (23 yrs)	79.6%	49
2019 (22 yrs)	83%	47
2018 (21 yrs)	88.2%	51
2017 (20 yrs)	82%	61
2016 (19 yrs)	81.4%	70
2015 (18 yrs)	80.9%	68
2014 (17 yrs)	78.8%	66
2013 (16 yrs)	84.2%	76
2012 (15 yrs)	79.7%	69
2011 (14 yrs)	83.6%	73
2010 (13 yrs)	80.3%	61
2009 (12 yrs)	74.7%	75

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

74.7%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 75Avg Mileage 44,730Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%

2010

80.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 61Avg Mileage 45,274Top Failure Brakes — 11.5%

2011

83.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 73Avg Mileage 48,075Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.2%

2012

79.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 69Avg Mileage 50,747Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.6%

2013

84.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 76Avg Mileage 49,607Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.1%

2014

78.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 66Avg Mileage 51,481Top Failure Brakes — 27.3%

2015

80.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 68Avg Mileage 58,770Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.5%

2016

81.4%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 70Avg Mileage 53,821Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.4%

2017

82.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 61Avg Mileage 55,262Top Failure Brakes — 21.3%

2018

88.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 51Avg Mileage 55,480Top Failure Tyres — 7.8%

2019

83.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 47Avg Mileage 58,695Top Failure Brakes — 21.3%

2020

79.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 49Avg Mileage 56,706Top Failure Tyres — 18.4%

2021

83.1%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 59Avg Mileage 58,472Top Failure Brakes — 35.6%

2022

83.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 53Avg Mileage 53,400Top Failure Brakes — 32.1%

2023

89.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 67Avg Mileage 60,578Top Failure Suspension — 9.0%

2024

94.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 172Avg Mileage 50,772Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 4.7%

MOT results for 1997 Bentley Continental by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	74.7%	75	44,730	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%
2010	13	80.3%	61	45,274	Brakes — 11.5%
2011	14	83.6%	73	48,075	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.2%
2012	15	79.7%	69	50,747	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.6%
2013	16	84.2%	76	49,607	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.1%
2014	17	78.8%	66	51,481	Brakes — 27.3%
2015	18	80.9%	68	58,770	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.5%
2016	19	81.4%	70	53,821	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.4%
2017	20	82.0%	61	55,262	Brakes — 21.3%
2018	21	88.2%	51	55,480	Tyres — 7.8%
2019	22	83.0%	47	58,695	Brakes — 21.3%
2020	23	79.6%	49	56,706	Tyres — 18.4%
2021	24	83.1%	59	58,472	Brakes — 35.6%
2022	25	83.0%	53	53,400	Brakes — 32.1%
2023	26	89.6%	67	60,578	Suspension — 9.0%
2024	27	94.2%	172	50,772	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 4.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Bentley Continental, with age trends.

Brakes

15.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

15.5%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

12.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Tyres

7.6%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

7.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	12.0% (12 yrs)	4.7% (27 yrs)	-7.3%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	6.7% (12 yrs)	3.5% (27 yrs)	-3.2%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Bentley Continental page →

About This Data

This page shows how Bentley Continental cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,117 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.