1989 Rover Metro — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

77.9%

Latest Pass Rate

1,396

Total Tests (All Years)

48,925 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Metro

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1989 Rover Metro as it ages.

20 yrs48.9%

→ ↑6.0%

21 yrs54.9%

→ ↑3.3%

22 yrs58.2%

→ ↑0.8%

23 yrs59.0%

→ ↓7.9%

24 yrs51.1%

→ ↑9.2%

25 yrs60.3%

→ ↓0.6%

26 yrs59.7%

→ ↑10.8%

27 yrs70.5%

→ ↓7.5%

28 yrs63.0%

→ ↑0.3%

29 yrs63.3%

→ ↓0.4%

30 yrs62.9%

→ ↓0.7%

31 yrs62.2%

→ ↑14.5%

32 yrs76.7%

→ ↓18.6%

33 yrs58.1%

→ ↑12.4%

34 yrs70.5%

→ ↑7.4%

35 yrs77.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	48.9%	268
21 yrs	54.9%	204
22 yrs	58.2%	153
23 yrs	59.0%	117
24 yrs	51.1%	88
25 yrs	60.3%	78
26 yrs	59.7%	67
27 yrs	70.5%	61
28 yrs	63.0%	54
29 yrs	63.3%	30
30 yrs	62.9%	35
31 yrs	62.2%	37
32 yrs	76.7%	43
33 yrs	58.1%	31
34 yrs	70.5%	44
35 yrs	77.9%	86

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Rover Metro pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	77.9%	86
2023 (34 yrs)	70.5%	44
2022 (33 yrs)	58.1%	31
2021 (32 yrs)	76.7%	43
2020 (31 yrs)	62.2%	37
2019 (30 yrs)	62.9%	35
2018 (29 yrs)	63.3%	30
2017 (28 yrs)	63%	54
2016 (27 yrs)	70.5%	61
2015 (26 yrs)	59.7%	67
2014 (25 yrs)	60.3%	78
2013 (24 yrs)	51.1%	88
2012 (23 yrs)	59%	117
2011 (22 yrs)	58.2%	153
2010 (21 yrs)	54.9%	204
2009 (20 yrs)	48.9%	268

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 268Avg Mileage 52,968Top Failure Suspension — 26.9%

2010High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 204Avg Mileage 55,377Top Failure Suspension — 24.0%

2011High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 153Avg Mileage 52,270Top Failure Suspension — 25.5%

2012High Fail Rate

59.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 117Avg Mileage 51,949Top Failure Suspension — 20.5%

2013High Fail Rate

51.1%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 88Avg Mileage 51,973Top Failure Suspension — 68.2%

2014High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 78Avg Mileage 56,440Top Failure Brakes — 66.7%

2015High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 67Avg Mileage 53,844Top Failure Suspension — 59.7%

2016

70.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 61Avg Mileage 57,532Top Failure Suspension — 72.1%

2017High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 54Avg Mileage 65,498Top Failure Suspension — 57.4%

2018High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 30Avg Mileage 54,326Top Failure Suspension — 30.0%

2019High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 35Avg Mileage 51,532Top Failure Brakes — 37.1%

2020High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 37Avg Mileage 47,817Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 37.8%

2021

76.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 43Avg Mileage 46,603Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 20.9%

2022High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 31Avg Mileage 47,492Top Failure Brakes — 87.1%

2023

70.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 44Avg Mileage 51,265Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 29.5%

2024

77.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 86Avg Mileage 48,925Top Failure Brakes — 18.6%

MOT results for 1989 Rover Metro by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	48.9%	268	52,968	Suspension — 26.9%
2010	21	54.9%	204	55,377	Suspension — 24.0%
2011	22	58.2%	153	52,270	Suspension — 25.5%
2012	23	59.0%	117	51,949	Suspension — 20.5%
2013	24	51.1%	88	51,973	Suspension — 68.2%
2014	25	60.3%	78	56,440	Brakes — 66.7%
2015	26	59.7%	67	53,844	Suspension — 59.7%
2016	27	70.5%	61	57,532	Suspension — 72.1%
2017	28	63.0%	54	65,498	Suspension — 57.4%
2018	29	63.3%	30	54,326	Suspension — 30.0%
2019	30	62.9%	35	51,532	Brakes — 37.1%
2020	31	62.2%	37	47,817	Noise, emissions and leaks — 37.8%
2021	32	76.7%	43	46,603	Body, chassis, structure — 20.9%
2022	33	58.1%	31	47,492	Brakes — 87.1%
2023	34	70.5%	44	51,265	Noise, emissions and leaks — 29.5%
2024	35	77.9%	86	48,925	Brakes — 18.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Rover Metro, with age trends.

Suspension

34.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

30.9%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

30.7%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

25.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

23.0%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	26.9% (20 yrs)	8.1% (35 yrs)	-18.8%	🟢 ↓
Tyres	14.6% (20 yrs)	9.3% (35 yrs)	-5.3%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	17.5% (20 yrs)	18.6% (35 yrs)	+1.1%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1983 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

← Back to Rover Metro overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Rover Metro page →

About This Data

This page shows how Rover Metro cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,396 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.