Mitsubishi Space Star: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mitsubishi Space Star fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 25.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,462 individual Mitsubishi Space Star tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 50.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 49 in every 100 Mitsubishi Space Stars presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mitsubishi Space Star tested had covered 87,533 miles and was built around 2003.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mitsubishi Space Star sits 25.9 points below the national average, ranked 2,005 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mitsubishi Space Star rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Mitsubishi Space Stars at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mitsubishi Space Star

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 23.5% of tests (24.85x the national rate for this defect)
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4.7% of tests (22.65x the national rate for this defect)
3. Headlamp reflector or lens seriously defective or missing, 4.8% of tests (22.2x the national rate for this defect)
4. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 8.5% of tests (11.49x the national rate for this defect)
5. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.2% of tests (10.09x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 7.4% of tests (6.91x the national rate for this defect)
7. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 9.2% of tests (6.03x the national rate for this defect)
8. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 6.6% of tests (5.1x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 10.9% of tests (4.63x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 5.6% of tests (2.95x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,462 DVSA-tracked Mitsubishi Space Star tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.44% of these flagged Mitsubishi Space Star defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Mitsubishi Space Star

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Mitsubishi Space Star before it actually fails on it.

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 26.3% of tests (17.35x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 12.5% of tests (11.31x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 7.1% of tests (5.72x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 32.4% of tests (5.24x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 13.1% of tests (4.59x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 8.5% of tests (3.2x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 31.5% of tests (2.36x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 12.4% of tests (2.24x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 10.5% of tests (2.21x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 22.6% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,462 DVSA-tracked Mitsubishi Space Star tests, 2024.

Mitsubishi Space Star pass rate by model year

From its 2003 to its 2004 model year, the Mitsubishi Space Star's first-time pass rate has risen 4.9 points, from 47.5% to 52.4%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mitsubishi Space Star year:

• 2002 Mitsubishi Space Star - 52.5% first-time pass, 217 tests
• 2003 Mitsubishi Space Star - 47.5% first-time pass, 322 tests
• 2004 Mitsubishi Space Star - 52.4% first-time pass, 483 tests
• 2005 Mitsubishi Space Star - 52.9% first-time pass, 293 tests

Mitsubishi Space Star by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number.

• Petrol Mitsubishi Space Star - 52.3% first-time pass, 1,181 tests
• Diesel Mitsubishi Space Star - 48.2% first-time pass, 255 tests

Other Mitsubishi models

• Mitsubishi L200 - 75.2%
• Mitsubishi Outlander - 80.3%
• Mitsubishi Asx - 78.7%
• Mitsubishi Shogun - 73.3%
• Mitsubishi Colt - 64.2%
• Mitsubishi Mirage - 85.7%
• Mitsubishi Lancer - 71.5%
• Mitsubishi Eclipse - 88.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Chrysler-Jeep Patriot - 54.4%
• Nissan Primastar - 54%
• Mazda Mpv - 53.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Mitsubishi Space Star? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

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<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/mitsubishi-space-star"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/mitsubishi-space-star.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Mitsubishi Space Star most common MOT failure: The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired (23.5% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate