Talbot Express Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Talbot Express 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 10,790 MOT tests across 5 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: large car | Fuel: Diesel
67%
Talbot Express pass rate
66%
Talbot average
82%
All-model average
The Talbot Express has an average MOT pass rate of 67%, which is 1 point above the Talbot average and 15 points below the average across all models in our data. The Talbot Express has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 1 percentage point.
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What the Talbot Express Fails Its MOT On
Of the 1,673 MOT tests on the Talbot Express 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
67%Cars and vans the same age: 53% (the Express fails on this more often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Body, chassis and structure
44%Cars and vans the same age: 27% (the Express fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Brakes
41%Cars and vans the same age: 33% · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
27%Cars and vans the same age: 29% · Typical repair £150-£600
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
24%Cars and vans the same age: 21% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (19% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Position lamp: not working (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Suspension mounting area corroded, significantly reducing its strength (14% of failed tests, suspension)
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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Talbot Express 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 Express 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.
Talbot Express 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.
Talbot Express Running Costs
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Talbot Express FAQ
What are the most common Talbot Express problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Talbot Express that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (67% of the 1,673 failed tests), body, chassis and structure (44%) and brakes (41%). The single most common fault was "Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure" (19%). Across 10,790 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 67% ended in a pass.
Is the Talbot Express reliable?
The Talbot Express has an average MOT pass rate of 67%, from 10,790 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 11 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Talbot Express years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 1991 (67% of 2,212 tests passed, against 79% for all 1991 cars), the 1993 (66% of 2,567 tests passed, against 77% for all 1993 cars) and the 1992 (67% of 2,499 tests passed, against 78% for all 1992 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 Talbot Express faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Talbot Express 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 Talbot Models
Common problems pages for other Talbot models