1997 Proton Persona — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

55.9%

Latest Pass Rate

7,565

Total Tests (All Years)

76,012 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 Proton Persona as it ages.

12 yrs45.4%

→ ↓2.0%

13 yrs43.4%

→ ↑2.7%

14 yrs46.1%

→ ↓1.9%

15 yrs44.2%

→ ↓1.5%

16 yrs42.7%

→ ↑0.1%

17 yrs42.8%

→ ↑4.2%

18 yrs47.0%

→ ↑7.1%

19 yrs54.1%

→ ↓2.9%

20 yrs51.2%

→ ↑7.8%

21 yrs59.0%

→ ↓0.9%

22 yrs58.1%

→ ↓2.2%

23 yrs55.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	45.4%	2,275
13 yrs	43.4%	1,694
14 yrs	46.1%	1,236
15 yrs	44.2%	790
16 yrs	42.7%	539
17 yrs	42.8%	353
18 yrs	47.0%	247
19 yrs	54.1%	172
20 yrs	51.2%	121
21 yrs	59.0%	61
22 yrs	58.1%	43
23 yrs	55.9%	34

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (23 yrs)	55.9%	34
2019 (22 yrs)	58.1%	43
2018 (21 yrs)	59%	61
2017 (20 yrs)	51.2%	121
2016 (19 yrs)	54.1%	172
2015 (18 yrs)	47%	247
2014 (17 yrs)	42.8%	353
2013 (16 yrs)	42.7%	539
2012 (15 yrs)	44.2%	790
2011 (14 yrs)	46.1%	1,236
2010 (13 yrs)	43.4%	1,694
2009 (12 yrs)	45.4%	2,275

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.4%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 2,275Avg Mileage 77,049Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.6%

2010High Fail Rate

43.4%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 1,694Avg Mileage 79,959Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.7%

2011High Fail Rate

46.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 1,236Avg Mileage 79,949Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%

2012High Fail Rate

44.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 790Avg Mileage 81,765Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%

2013High Fail Rate

42.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 539Avg Mileage 78,873Top Failure Brakes — 79.4%

2014High Fail Rate

42.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 353Avg Mileage 79,898Top Failure Brakes — 82.4%

2015High Fail Rate

47.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 247Avg Mileage 79,065Top Failure Brakes — 91.9%

2016High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 172Avg Mileage 75,765Top Failure Brakes — 57.0%

2017High Fail Rate

51.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 121Avg Mileage 76,980Top Failure Brakes — 63.6%

2018High Fail Rate

59.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 61Avg Mileage 76,347Top Failure Suspension — 37.7%

2019High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 43Avg Mileage 76,203Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.8%

2020High Fail Rate

55.9%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 34Avg Mileage 76,012Top Failure Brakes — 61.8%

MOT results for 1997 Proton Persona by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	45.4%	2,275	77,049	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.6%
2010	13	43.4%	1,694	79,959	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.7%
2011	14	46.1%	1,236	79,949	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%
2012	15	44.2%	790	81,765	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%
2013	16	42.7%	539	78,873	Brakes — 79.4%
2014	17	42.8%	353	79,898	Brakes — 82.4%
2015	18	47.0%	247	79,065	Brakes — 91.9%
2016	19	54.1%	172	75,765	Brakes — 57.0%
2017	20	51.2%	121	76,980	Brakes — 63.6%
2018	21	59.0%	61	76,347	Suspension — 37.7%
2019	22	58.1%	43	76,203	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.8%
2020	23	55.9%	34	76,012	Brakes — 61.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Proton Persona, with age trends.

Brakes

53.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

45.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

37.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

34.3%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

27.0%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	31.6% (12 yrs)	61.8% (23 yrs)	+30.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	16.8% (12 yrs)	17.6% (23 yrs)	+0.8%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2008 2009

← Back to Proton Persona overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Proton Persona page →

About This Data

This page shows how Proton Persona cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 7,565 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.