2008 Mitsubishi Lancer: MOT pass rate and reliability
69.6% of 2008 Mitsubishi Lancers pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,415 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 97,620 miles.
How the 2008 compares
- Against all Mitsubishi Lancers (72.1%, 9,931 tests): -2.5 points
- Against all 2008 cars (64.7%): +4.9 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 2008 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 2008 Lancer
The 2008 is a weaker year for this model, passing 2.5 points less often than the Mitsubishi Lancer average. Some of that is simply age, so compare it against the 2008 figure for all cars above rather than against newer examples. 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 an 18-year-old car fails on
A 2008 car is 18 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 above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust. On a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer the average at test was 97,620 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 2008 car against a newer one tells you very little.
Nearby model years
- 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer - 72.8%
- 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer - 71.1%
- 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer - 71.6%
- 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer - 68.3%
- 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer - 64.7%
- 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer - 64.9%