Porsche Cayenne years to avoid — 84,344 MOT tests ranked

No clear negative outlier after correcting for age. Strongest in the data: 2010 or 2011. The ranking uses 84,344 MOT tests across 19 registration years (2023–2025) and compares each year with all UK cars of the same age. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 3.3-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every Cayenne year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

RankYearIndexVs same-agePass rateTests
1 2010 Strong 117.2 +17.2 pts 84.6% 2,509
2 2011 Strong 115.9 +15.9 pts 85.1% 3,262
3 2008 115.9 +15.9 pts 81.0% 1,706
4 2006 115.6 +15.6 pts 80.1% 2,567
5 2005 114.4 +14.4 pts 78.9% 3,695
6 2003 114.3 +14.3 pts 79.3% 1,515
7 2004 113.9 +13.9 pts 78.3% 3,079
8 2007 113.2 +13.2 pts 78.3% 1,972
9 2012 113.1 +13.1 pts 84.4% 5,314
10 2009 112.6 +12.6 pts 79.0% 2,401
11 2013 112.1 +12.1 pts 85.4% 6,405
12 2014 110.9 +10.9 pts 86.7% 5,612
13 2015 110.2 +10.2 pts 88.9% 7,015
14 2016 107.0 +7.0 pts 88.3% 8,292
15 2019 105.5 +5.5 pts 93.8% 9,138
16 2017 105.2 +5.2 pts 89.2% 5,343
17 2018 104.0 +4.0 pts 90.3% 5,434
18 2021 103.9 +3.9 pts 94.3% 2,808
19 2020 103.7 +3.7 pts 93.6% 6,277

How to use this before buying

  • Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished older example beats a neglected 2010 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
  • Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
  • Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (3.3 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
  • Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which Cayenne years should I avoid?

No year is a clear negative outlier after correcting for age, so buy on condition and history rather than year.

What is the best Cayenne year to buy used?

2010 and 2011 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the Cayenne reliable overall?

Across 84,344 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 112.6 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 tests per page. “Inspect” years are below both the same-age baseline and the model’s median index by at least 2 points. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. DVSA anonymised data 2023–2025, OGL v3.0.