Compare Cars Side by Side

Based on real DVSA MOT data, Japanese manufacturers consistently produce the most reliable used cars. Toyota (Yaris, Corolla, Aygo), Honda (Jazz, Civic), and Suzuki (Swift, Vitara) all show MOT first-time pass rates above 90% at 8 years old. Our comparison tool shows you MOT pass rates side by side for any two or three cars you are considering.

For drivers covering under 10,000 miles per year, petrol is almost always cheaper overall. Diesel cars typically cost more to buy and have more expensive fuel system repairs. For high-mileage drivers (20,000+ miles per year), diesel can still save money on fuel costs, but ULEZ and clean air zone charges increasingly apply to older diesels. Use our comparison tool to see estimated annual fuel costs for both fuel types.

Enter the registration plates of both cars into the comparison form above. We pull MOT history, mileage, health score, running costs, and reliability data from official DVSA and DVLA databases in seconds. You can compare up to three cars at once. If you do not have the reg plates, choose from the popular model comparisons below the form.

It depends on the car. For most modern engines, mileage is a better indicator than age because engines are built to last 150,000+ miles. However, rubber seals, belts, and fluid systems degrade with time regardless of mileage. A low-mileage, older car can have more rubber-related failures than a higher-mileage newer one. Our tool shows both metrics side by side and flags anything unusual in the mileage history.

The health score is a 0-100 rating based on MOT history, mileage consistency, number of advisories, and failure patterns from official DVSA data. A score above 80 is good. Below 60 suggests the car has had issues and may need attention. The score is calculated from real test results, not manufacturer claims, so it reflects what independent mechanics have actually found.