Pass rate, every year
69.9% Below average
196 tests across 2 model years, 2003–2004.
−11.1 pts vs the national average
Daewoo Tacuma MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2003 69.9%
The strongest of the 2 years on record. See the 2003 page →
Worst year to buy
2003 69.9%
0.0 points below the 2003 peak. See the 2003 page →
The Daewoo Tacuma MOT pass rate is 69.9%, −11.1 percentage points below the UK average. That is 196 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2003 and 2004. This page lists the most common Daewoo Tacuma MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Daewoo Tacuma MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Daewoo Tacuma passed on its first attempt in 59.0%, and its overall record sits −11.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Daewoo Tacuma in the 2023–2025 data: 196 tests across 2 model years (2003–2004). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 196 |
| Overall pass rate | 69.9% |
| Passed on first attempt | 59.0% |
| Average mileage at test | 70,800 mi |
| Model years covered | 2003–2004 (2 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −11.1 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Daewoo Tacuma MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Daewoo Tacuma, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 29% |
| Suspension | 27% |
| Brakes | 18% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 12% |
| Visibility | 7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 4% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4% |
Shares are over the Daewoo Tacuma's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 29% of the recorded Daewoo Tacuma failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (11.2%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (4.6%) among the Daewoo Tacuma's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Suspension
Around 27% of the recorded Daewoo Tacuma failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (8.2%), "Ball joint excessively worn" (4.1%), "Linkage ball joints ball joint excessively worn" (2.6%) among the Daewoo Tacuma's suspension faults.
Brakes
Around 18% of the recorded Daewoo Tacuma failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault" (4.1%), "Flexible brake hoses slightly twisted" (2.0%), "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (2.0%) among the Daewoo Tacuma's brakes faults.
Top Recorded Daewoo Tacuma DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Daewoo Tacuma, each with how many of the model's 196 tests it was noted on.
- "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 22 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 11.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 16 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 8.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 13 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 6.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 9 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 4.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault" (Major) — noted on about 8 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 8 Daewoo Tacuma tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Daewoo Tacuma Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Daewoo Tacuma model year on record is 2003 (69.9% across 73 tests), and the weakest is 2003 (69.9%). Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Tacuma | 123 | 69.9% |
| 2003 Tacuma | 73 | 69.9% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Daewoo Tacuma Owners
These checks follow this Daewoo Tacuma's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Daewoo Tacuma.
-
the lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
-
the suspension joints — “ball joint excessively worn”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Daewoo Tacuma. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Daewoo Tacuma MOT & Reliability
What is the Daewoo Tacuma MOT pass rate?
69.9% of the 196 recorded Daewoo Tacuma MOT tests ended in a pass, −11.1 percentage points below the national average. 59.0% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Daewoo Tacuma model years pass the MOT most often?
2004 is the strongest Daewoo Tacuma year on record at 69.9%, while 2004 is the weakest at 69.9%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Daewoo Tacuma MOT failures?
The most recorded Daewoo Tacuma failures are "Headlamp lens slightly defective" and "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" — together around 19% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.