2004 Mitsubishi Lancer: MOT pass rate and reliability
89.5% of 2004 Mitsubishi Lancers pass the MOT first time, measured across 382 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 77,259 miles.
How the 2004 compares
- Against all Mitsubishi Lancers (72.1%, 9,931 tests): +17.4 points
- Against all 2004 cars (64%): +25.5 points
- National first-time pass rate, all cars and years: 77%
Every Mitsubishi Lancer model year
Pass rates fall as cars age, so the only fair comparison for a 2004 car is other cars of the same age. The full run for the Mitsubishi Lancer:
| Year | Pass rate | Tests | Avg mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 90.4% | 250 | 77,790 |
| 2004 | 89.5% | 382 | 77,259 |
| 2005 | 72.8% | 1,038 | 87,575 |
| 2006 | 71.1% | 971 | 87,992 |
| 2007 | 71.6% | 857 | 87,371 |
| 2008 | 69.6% | 1,415 | 97,620 |
| 2009 | 68.3% | 1,131 | 104,118 |
| 2010 | 64.7% | 1,638 | 102,360 |
| 2011 | 64.9% | 1,201 | 99,810 |
What this means if you are buying a 2004 Lancer
The 2004 is one of the stronger years for this model, passing 17.4 points more often than the Mitsubishi Lancer average. That is a point in its favour, though condition and service history still matter more than the model year. Check the exact car with the free MOT history checker before you buy, and run its VIN and mileage through our free VIN decoder and clocking check.
What a 22-year-old car fails on
A 2004 car is 22 years old now, and age drives the failure mix more than the badge does. Across all cars tested, these are the categories that actually cause failures:
- Lights and electrical: 10.36% of all cars tested
- Suspension: 8.65% of all cars tested
- Tyres: 6.23% of all cars tested
- Brakes: 6.1% of all cars tested
- Visibility: wipers, washers, glass: 4.65% of all cars tested
- Body, chassis and structure: 3.18% of all cars tested
That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age. On a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer the average at test was 77,259 miles, so treat anything far above that as a car that has worked harder than its peers, and anything far below as one worth checking for the faults that come from standing still.
The strongest year for this model is 2003 at 90.4%, and the weakest in our data is 2010 at 64.7%. That 25.7 point spread across the model's life is why comparing a 2004 car against a newer one tells you very little.
Nearby model years
- 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer - 90.4%
- 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer - 72.8%
- 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer - 71.1%
- 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer - 71.6%