Rover 45 (2001)
2001 Rover 45
CarHunch analysed 17,831 real MOT records for the 2001 Rover 45. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 2001 Rover 45 falls short of the UK average with a 74% first-time pass rate—six percentage points below the 80% benchmark—and 16.3% of vehicles have recorded dangerous defects, which is a meaningful concern for buyers. Petrol versions fare slightly better at 74.8% pass rate compared to diesels at 70.6%, though neither inspires confidence.
These cars are averaging 69,327 miles at test time, which is reasonable for their age, but they're racking up 3.1 failures and 11.6 advisories per vehicle—a sign of widespread wear and maintenance issues rather than catastrophic problems. If you're considering one, budget for near-term repairs and have a pre-purchase inspection focus on brakes, suspension, and steering components, where the advisory frequency suggests weakness.
Petrol vs Diesel
Pass rate difference of 4.2 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.
What to check before buying a 2001 Rover 45
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Rover 45
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (79%) | 14,153 | 74.8% | 2.95 |
| Diesel (21%) | 3,672 | 70.6% | 3.69 |
| LPG (0%) | 5 | 71.3% | 3.6 |
| Electric (0%) | 1 | 66.7% | 6 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 2001 Rover 45 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 2001 Rover 45 vehicles fall between 46,072 and 76,345 miles.
2001 Rover 45 — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 391 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2023 (6% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2023.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 2001 Rover 45
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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62.1%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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59.5%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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48.2%
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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43.6%
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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34.5%
Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
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32.9%
Oil leak
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32.7%
Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
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27.6%
Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2001. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Rover 45?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.