Mitsubishi Colt Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Mitsubishi Colt fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 41,869 MOT tests across 18 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol
72%
Mitsubishi Colt pass rate
80%
Mitsubishi average
82%
All-model average
The Mitsubishi Colt has an average MOT pass rate of 72%, which is 8 points below the Mitsubishi average and 10 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Mitsubishi Colts pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 7 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Mitsubishi Colt Fails Its MOT On
Of the 9,006 MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Colt that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
55%Cars and vans the same age: 48% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
37%Cars and vans the same age: 41% · Typical repair £150-£600
Body, chassis and structure
21%Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £200-£1200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
19%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
Brakes
17%Cars and vans the same age: 26% (the Colt fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (18% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (13% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (13% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Mitsubishi Colt Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Colt year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Mitsubishi Colt Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.3L | 83% | 17% | - |
| 2012 | Petrol | 1.3L | 80% | 20% | 79% (+1) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.3L | 79% | 21% | 77% (+2) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 1.3L | 75% | 24% | 75% (0) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.3L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.1L | 70% | 29% | 74% (-4) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.5L | 71% | 29% | 73% (-2) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.5L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.3L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 1.5L | 69% | 31% | - |
| 2003 | Petrol | 1.6L | 62% | 38% | - |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.6L | 74% | 25% | - |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.6L | 72% | 28% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.3L | 65% | 35% | - |
| 1998 | Petrol | 1.3L | 67% | 33% | - |
| 1997 | Petrol | 1.3L | 71% | 29% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.6L | 65% | 32% | - |
Mitsubishi Colt Running Costs
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Mitsubishi Colt FAQ
What are the most common Mitsubishi Colt problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Colt that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (55% of the 9,006 failed tests), suspension (37%) and body, chassis and structure (21%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (18%). Across 41,869 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 72% ended in a pass.
Is the Mitsubishi Colt reliable?
The Mitsubishi Colt has an average MOT pass rate of 72%, from 41,869 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Mitsubishi Colt years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2008 (70% of 7,859 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars), the 2005 (69% of 3,589 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2009 (72% of 6,961 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Mitsubishi Colt faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Mitsubishi Colt typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Mitsubishi Models
Common problems pages for other Mitsubishi models