CarCostCheck

Rover 218

Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 4 years from 350 real MOT tests.

Avg Pass Rate

68%

Total Tests

350

Best Year

1998 (71%)

Years Covered

4

How reliable is the Rover 218?

vs national average-14% (82% avg)
vs Rover brand average-6% (74% avg)
Best to worst year spread6 percentage points
Reliability trendImproving over years

Rover 218 by Year

YearPass RateTestsAvg Mileage
199871%195101,557 mi
199768%7388,754 mi
199565%52101,969 mi
199467%30106,765 mi

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About the Rover 218

The Rover 218 has been tested 350 times in 2024 MOT data across 4 model years (1994 to 1998), with an average pass rate of 68%. That's 14 points below the national average of 82%, so check the year-by-year data carefully before buying. Available as petrol and diesel.

Best and Worst Years

The 1998 model is the most reliable with a 71% pass rate from 195 tests. The 1995 model has the lowest at 65%. The 6 point spread between years means reliability varies somewhat, but no year is dramatically different.

Reliability Trend

Newer ROVER 218s show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 5 percentage points.

Mileage Across Years

The oldest model in our data (1994) averages 106,765 miles, while the newest (1998) averages 101,557 miles. Older models have covered serious mileage, so suspension and drivetrain wear are worth checking.

Compared to the Rover brand average of 74%, the 218 is 6 points lower, placing it among the less reliable Rover models.

Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.