MOT pass rates in Sutton

74,601 cars took a first MOT at test centres in the SM postcode area in 2025. The SM postcode area covers Sutton and the towns around it — Carshalton, Morden, Wallington and Banstead among them. How the cars did, what they failed on, and what the area drives — computed from the official DVSA record. Figures describe tests done in this area, wherever the cars live.

Pass rate 2025
79.0%
6.7 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); reflects the mix of cars tested here
Tests analysed
74,601
first tests, 2025
Average car age at test
11.3 yrs
national average 10.7 yrs
Arrived with a dangerous fault
5.9%
of SM-area first tests; national 7.3%

How Sutton compares

Ranks and comparisons cover the 116 postcode areas with 20,000 or more first tests in 2025 — the full field at that floor; DVSA merges its smallest areas into one shared code, which is excluded. Location is always the test centre's postcode area, not where any car is kept. Ranks are unadjusted for the age and mix of each area's fleet — they say where an area sits, not why. Areas are often separated by a fraction of a year or a fraction of a point: each rank is exact on the data, but neighbouring ranks can be effectively level.

Pass rate rank
#5 highest
79.0% of first tests passed, of the 116 areas
Fleet age
#21 oldest
average 11.3 yrs at test, of the 116 areas
Electric share
#32 highest
2.4% of first tests were electric cars, of the 116 areas
Tests done
#113 busiest
74,601 first tests in 2025, of the 116 areas

The area's signature make

Of the twelve most-tested makes at SM-area test centres, Honda is the one tested furthest above its national share: 4.1% of SM-area first tests against 2.7% of tests nationally — 1.5 times its national rate. That is a fact about what the area drives, not a claim about the make.

Sutton and its neighbours

Sutton and three neighbouring postcode areas, 2025. Pass rates are unadjusted for fleet age and mix.

AreaFirst tests Pass rateAvg ageElectric
SM (Sutton)74,60179.0%11.3 yrs2.4%
CR (Croydon)225,83377.8%10.5 yrs3.6%
KT (Kingston upon Thames)277,51478.5%10.6 yrs3.4%
SW (South West London)143,59177.2%10.3 yrs4.4%

Pass rate by car age — SM area vs national

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 2025.

Sutton (SM) areaAll of Britain
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)SM area, vehicle age 3: 90.2%SM area, vehicle age 4: 88.5%SM area, vehicle age 5: 87.8%SM area, vehicle age 6: 85.6%SM area, vehicle age 7: 84.5%SM area, vehicle age 8: 82.6%SM area, vehicle age 9: 82.2%SM area, vehicle age 10: 80%SM area, vehicle age 11: 78.4%SM area, vehicle age 12: 75.1%SM area, vehicle age 13: 73.6%SM area, vehicle age 14: 73.5%SM area, vehicle age 15: 72.2%SM area, vehicle age 16: 70.7%SM area, vehicle age 17: 70.3%SM area, vehicle age 18: 70.9%SM area, vehicle age 19: 69.8%SM area, vehicle age 20: 68.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 5: 86%All of Britain, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All of Britain, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All of Britain, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All of Britain, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All of Britain, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All of Britain, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All of Britain, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All of Britain, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All of Britain, vehicle age 19: 57%All of Britain, vehicle age 20: 57.6%SM area 68.9%All of Britain 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)SM area testsSM area pass rateAll cars
32,15290.2%88.5%
43,08288.5%87.2%
53,51987.8%86.0%
65,61385.6%83.5%
76,09584.5%80.9%
86,66582.6%78.2%
96,56082.2%74.9%
105,57980.0%71.9%
114,47478.4%68.6%
123,96175.1%65.8%
133,55973.6%63.5%
143,07973.5%61.2%
153,24472.2%59.3%
163,03470.7%58.3%
172,63970.3%57.2%
182,63370.9%57.4%
192,04969.8%57.0%
201,66068.9%57.6%

Better or worse than the national average?

The SM area's pass rate minus the national pass rate at each car age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: SM-area tests beat the national average for that age. Below zero: they trail.

SM area ahead
-14-7+0+7+14Age 3: +1.7 points vs the average car3Age 4: +1.3 points vs the average carAge 5: +1.8 points vs the average car5Age 6: +2.1 points vs the average carAge 7: +3.6 points vs the average car7Age 8: +4.4 points vs the average carAge 9: +7.3 points vs the average car9Age 10: +8.1 points vs the average carAge 11: +9.8 points vs the average car11Age 12: +9.3 points vs the average carAge 13: +10.1 points vs the average car13Age 14: +12.3 points vs the average carAge 15: +12.9 points vs the average car15Age 16: +12.4 points vs the average carAge 17: +13.1 points vs the average car17Age 18: +13.5 points vs the average carAge 19: +12.8 points vs the average car19Age 20: +11.3 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+1.7
4+1.3
5+1.8
6+2.1
7+3.6
8+4.4
9+7.3
10+8.1
11+9.8
12+9.3
13+10.1
14+12.3
15+12.9
16+12.4
17+13.1
18+13.5
19+12.8
20+11.3

The cars tested around Sutton, by age

How many cars of each age took a first MOT at SM-area test centres in 2025 — the age profile of what the area actually drives.

01k3k5k7kAge 3: 2k3Age 4: 3kAge 5: 3k5Age 6: 5kAge 7: 6k7Age 8: 6kAge 9: 6k9Age 10: 5kAge 11: 4k11Age 12: 3kAge 13: 3k13Age 14: 3kAge 15: 3k15Age 16: 3kAge 17: 2k17Age 18: 2kAge 19: 2k19Age 20: 1k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
32,152
43,082
53,519
65,613
76,095
86,665
96,560
105,579
114,474
123,961
133,559
143,079
153,244
163,034
172,639
182,633
192,049
201,660

What cars fail on around Sutton

Where the failure items land for tests done in the SM area, 2025.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment31.7%
Tyres15.5%
Suspension14.7%
Brakes12.1%
Visibility9.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.4%
Body, chassis, structure4.9%
Steering3.0%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (97.5% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" in the SM area, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 33.5% of advisories33.5%Brakes: 26.3% of advisories26.3%Suspension: 19.4% of advisories19.4%Non-component advisories: 5.2% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 5.1% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 3.4% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structure
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres33.5%
Brakes26.3%
Suspension19.4%
Non-component advisories5.2%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.1%
Body, chassis, structure3.4%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested fuel types in the SM area, 2025, against the national all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 76.8% of 52,122 tests76.8%Petrol52,122 testsDiesel: 81.4% of 15,220 tests81.4%Diesel15,220 testsHybrid electric: 89.4% of 5,341 tests89.4%Hybrid5,341 testsElectric: 89.7% of 1,758 tests89.7%Electric1,758 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol52,12276.8%
Diesel15,22081.4%
Hybrid electric5,34189.4%
Electric1,75889.7%

What mileage is normal around Sutton?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, SM-area tests, 2025. The line is the typical (median) car; the shaded band holds the middle half.

Typical car, SM area (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 21,250 miles (middle half 13,750–36,250)Age 4: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–46,250)Age 5: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 23,750–51,250)Age 6: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 28,750–61,250)Age 7: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 33,750–68,750)Age 8: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 38,750–78,750)Age 9: typical 58,750 miles (middle half 41,250–81,250)Age 10: typical 61,250 miles (middle half 43,750–83,750)Age 11: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 46,250–86,250)Age 12: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 48,750–88,750)Age 13: typical 71,250 miles (middle half 51,250–93,750)Age 14: typical 76,250 miles (middle half 56,250–101,250)Age 15: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 58,750–103,750)Age 16: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 58,750–106,250)Age 17: typical 86,250 miles (middle half 63,750–111,250)Age 18: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 66,250–116,250)Age 19: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 66,250–116,250)Age 20: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 66,250–116,250)91k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
313,75021,25036,250
421,25031,25046,250
523,75036,25051,250
628,75041,25061,250
733,75048,75068,750
838,75053,75078,750
941,25058,75081,250
1043,75061,25083,750
1146,25063,75086,250
1248,75068,75088,750
1351,25071,25093,750
1456,25076,250101,250
1558,75081,250103,750
1658,75081,250106,250
1763,75086,250111,250
1866,25091,250116,250
1966,25091,250116,250
2066,25091,250116,250

What the SM area drives

The 12 most-tested makes at SM-area test centres, 2025, ordered by how many were tested — not a pass-rate league. Pass rates are unadjusted for fleet age: a make whose cars round here run older sits lower for that reason alone.

MakeTests 2025 Pass rate
Ford9,27175.1%
Volkswagen6,23180.3%
Vauxhall6,04972.4%
Toyota5,25281.2%
Nissan5,11775.1%
Mercedes-Benz5,02684.5%
BMW4,27484.5%
Audi3,52683.1%
Honda3,04477.3%
Peugeot2,89575.5%
Hyundai2,64280.1%
Kia2,29682.0%

MOT test centres in the SM area

43 DVSA-approved MOT test stations across the SM postcode area, 38 of them approved for cars (class 4). Grouped by town, largest first. Classes: 1–2 motorcycles, 3 three-wheelers, 4 cars and small vans, 5 minibuses, 7 vans 3,000–3,500 kg.

CentreAddressPhoneClasses
Sutton — 15 centres
Auto Express Sutton Limited312-314 High Street, SM1 1PR02082 8712344
Byron Garage Limited31a Byron Avenue, SM1 3RA02086 4287884
Cheam Motors9 Dunstans Hill, Cheam, SM1 2JX07949 1100784, 7
Fawngrove Garage Limited400 Sutton Common Road, SM3 9PL02086 4467024
Fergussons Auto Services LimitedUnit 10 Io Centre, Minden Road, SM3 9BL02086 4445181, 2, 4
Halfords AutocentreUnit 1, 8 Wealdstone Road, SM3 9QN02086 4478684
Kandaz Autos157 Epsom Road, SM3 9HA02086 4402444
Oakhill GarageErskine Road, SM1 3AS02086 4361754
Peter Ostling Autocentre LtdGem Yard, Oakhill Road, SM1 3AA02086 442935Not listed
Plough Lane Coachworks60 Sunningdale Road, SM1 2JS02086 4496874
Rose Hill Park Garage Limited2a Rose Hill, SM1 3EU02086 4122394
Sutton & Cheam LimitedUnit 2, 299 Gander Green Lane, Cheam, SM3 9QE02086 4441404
Sutton Car Care1-12 Bishops Place, Lind Road, SM1 4PH02087 7008404
Threeways MotorsGem Yard, Oakhill Road, SM1 3AA02086 4400124
Tms Motor Spares & RepairsR/o 207 Gander Green Lane, SM1 2EZ02086 4428884
Morden — 9 centres
Bm MotorsUnit 18a, 193 Garth Road, SM4 4LZ02083 3760064
Dm Autobody Repairs LimitedUnit 4, Rear Of 24-27 Morden Hall Road, SM4 5JF02033 7595374
Ecotech Auto Services LimitedUnit 7, 193 Garth Road, The Garth Road Industrial Centre, SM4 4LZ02081 2739394
Garth Road Mot Centre LimitedUnit 2, 1-7 Amenity Way, Garth Road, SM4 4AX02083 3530321, 2, 4, 5, 7
Idtnaine LimitedUnit 3 Amenity Way, SM4 4AX02083 3701104, 5, 7
Mot Shop 2003Rear Of Wandle Service Station, Bishopsford Road, SM4 6AW02086 4099481, 2, 4
Sunami Motorcycles LimitedUnit 18, 193 Garth Road, SM4 4LZ02086 4615541, 2, 4
T/a Central Autos118 Central Road, SM4 5RL02086 4819994
Total Motor Care Uk LtdUnit 11, 193 Garth Road, SM4 4LZ02083 3555004
Wallington — 8 centres
Auto Test & Tyres Limited111-113 Stafford Road, SM6 9AP02087 7336224
J And T Motor Services173 To 177 Stafford Road, SM6 9BT02086 6941121, 2, 4
Kwik Fit268 London Road, SM6 7DJ02086 4750594
Lb Motors41 Manor Road, SM6 0BY07922 770678Not listed
Merityre Specialists Ltd42-52 Manor Road, SM6 0AB02087 7303934
Pd Vehicle Services Limited3 Soho Mills, London Road, Hackbridge, SM6 7HN02086 6914541, 2, 4, 5, 7
StoppiesR/o 218 London Road, SM6 7EA02087 7326131, 2
Woodcote Garage Ltd1 Woodcote Green, SM6 9NN02086 4741504
Carshalton — 6 centres
Banstead Road Garage70 Banstead Road, Carshalton Beeches, SM5 3NL02086 422242Not listed
Dj Garages46 St Andrews Road, SM5 2DY02086 6923444
Lamba Motorcycles Limited118-132 High Street, SM5 3AE02086 4748511, 2
Orchard GarageUnit 6 Chantry Court, Wrythe Lane, SM5 2DG02087 7316584
Regency Car Centre132 Stanley Park Road, SM5 3JG02086 6919964
Sutton Motors And Garage Limited292-300 Carshalton Road, SM5 3QB02081 6774764
North Cheam — 2 centres
Church Hill Motors126 Abbotts Road, SM3 9SX02086 4437774
Swb Autos LimitedRear Of 688 London Road, SM3 9BY02086 4409294
Surrey — 2 centres
Auto Express Services LimitedUnit 4, Io Centre, Minden Road, Sutton, SM3 9BL02086 4473104, 5, 7
The Test Station (hackbridge)99 Stanley Park Road, Carshalton, SM5 3HX02086 6974444
Banstead — 1 centre
Nork Motor EngineeringNork Gardens, SM7 1NZ01737 3576361, 2, 4

Source: DVSA Active MOT test stations (Open Government Licence v3.0), release of 26 February 2026. Listing here means DVSA approves the station for the classes shown; it is not a recommendation, and we publish no per-garage pass rates. Some stations are sole traders, so an address may be a home address — we show it because DVSA publishes it as the approved test site. Run a test station and want your entry corrected or removed? Email [email protected] and we will act within 7 days.

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Location is the test centre's postcode area, not where any car is kept. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.