Saab 9-5 MOT pass rate: 71.5% (6,661 tests, 2025)

The Saab 9-5 passed 71.5% of its 6,661 MOT tests in 2025 — 6.0 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 19 years old with 122,294 miles on the clock.

71.5%Pass rate (2025)

6,661MOT tests analysed

122,294 miMedian mileage at test

19 yrsMedian age at test

How the 9-5 compares

Saab 9-5

71.5%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Saab average (all models)

69.4%

What fails most on the Saab 9-5

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 9-5:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	1,333	23.1%
2	Suspension	1,279	22.2%
3	Brakes	1,175	20.4%
4	Tyres	595	10.3%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	550	9.5%
6	Body, chassis, structure	435	7.5%

Pre-MOT checklist for 9-5 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

9-5 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,248	68.4%	+4.1 pts	127,248
2005	2,757	68.7%	+4.2 pts	126,617
2006	2,922	69.0%	+4.6 pts	125,917
2007	3,026	71.0%	+5.9 pts	122,588
2008	2,601	71.4%	+6.2 pts	119,842
2009	1,787	73.0%	+6.6 pts	113,540
2010	1,790	75.5%	+8.2 pts	106,728

Check a specific 9-5 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Saab models

9-369.0% pass rate · 30,978 tests 90069.3% pass rate · 2,079 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Saab 9-5?

In 2025, 71.5% of 6,661 first MOT tests on the Saab 9-5 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 9-5 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (23.1% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the Saab 9-5 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 71.5% it performs below the national average at a median age of 19 years and 122,294 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.