Pass rate, every year
84.3% Around average
20,553 tests across 6 model years, 2016–2021.
+3.3 pts vs the national average
Tesla Model X MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2021 86.8%
The strongest of the 6 years on record. See the 2021 page →
Worst year to buy
2016 82.6%
4.2 points below the 2021 peak. See the 2016 page →
The Tesla Model X MOT pass rate is 84.3%, +3.3 percentage points above the UK average. That is 20,553 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2016 and 2021. This page lists the most common Tesla Model X MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Tesla Model X MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Tesla Model X MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Tesla Model X passed on its first attempt in 81.8%, and its overall record sits +3.3 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Tesla Model X in the 2023–2025 data: 20,553 tests across 6 model years (2016–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 20,553 |
| Overall pass rate | 84.3% |
| Passed on first attempt | 81.8% |
| Average mileage at test | 56,994 mi |
| Model years covered | 2016–2021 (6 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +3.3 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Tesla Model X MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Tesla Model X, the Tyres 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 |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 43% |
| Visibility | 28% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 16% |
| Suspension | 9% |
| Brakes | 2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0% |
Shares are over the Tesla Model X's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Tyres
Around 43% of the recorded Tesla Model X failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has ply or cords exposed" (3.7%), "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (2.1%), "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (1.9%) among the Tesla Model X's tyres faults.
Visibility
Around 28% of the recorded Tesla Model X failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Wipers blade defective" (1.9%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (1.7%), "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (1.4%) among the Tesla Model X's visibility faults.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 16% of the recorded Tesla Model X failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (2.6%), "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (0.3%) among the Tesla Model X's body, chassis, structure faults.
Top Recorded Tesla Model X DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Tesla Model X, each with how many of the model's 20,553 tests it was noted on.
- "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 755 Tesla Model X tests, 3.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 536 Tesla Model X tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 426 Tesla Model X tests, 2.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 394 Tesla Model X tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 381 Tesla Model X tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 344 Tesla Model X tests, 1.7% of the model's MOT record.
What Model X fails on more than most
3 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre cords exposed | 3.7% | 0.8% | 4.6× | £45–£95 |
| Tyre cut too deep | 5.1% | 2.5% | 2.0× | £45–£95 |
| Tread pattern not visible | 3.4% | 2.3% | 1.5× | £45–£95 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (20,553 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Model X records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Tesla Model X Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Tesla Model X model year on record is 2021 (86.8% across 106 tests), and the weakest is 2016 (82.6%). The gap between them is 4.2 points. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Model X | 106 | 86.8% |
| 2020 Model X | 4,578 | 84.6% |
| 2019 Model X | 3,915 | 85.0% |
| 2018 Model X | 4,838 | 84.0% |
| 2017 Model X | 6,972 | 84.0% |
| 2016 Model X | 144 | 82.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Tesla Model X Owners
These checks follow this Tesla Model X's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Tesla Model X.
-
the tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”
Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.
-
the wipers and washers — “wipers blade defective”
Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Tesla Model X. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Tesla Model X MOT & Reliability
What is the Tesla Model X MOT pass rate?
84.3% of the 20,553 recorded Tesla Model X MOT tests ended in a pass, +3.3 percentage points above the national average. 81.8% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Tesla Model X model years pass the MOT most often?
2021 is the strongest Tesla Model X year on record at 86.8%, while 2016 is the weakest at 82.6%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Tesla Model X MOT failures?
The most recorded Tesla Model X failures are "Has ply or cords exposed" and "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" — together around 6% of tests, mostly in the Tyres section.