Rover 75 (2001)

17,574 real MOT outcomes analysed • 70% first-time pass rate

2001 Rover 75

CarHunch analysed 17,574 real MOT records for the 2001 Rover 75. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

The 2001 Rover 75 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 70%, significantly below the UK average of 80%, and nearly 28% of these vehicles have recorded dangerous defects at some point—a serious red flag for safety-critical systems. Petrol versions fare slightly better at 71% pass rate versus 69% for diesel, but neither inspires confidence.

At 23 years old, the median mileage of 72,731 is reasonable, yet these cars average nearly 4 failures and 15.5 advisories per test, suggesting chronic wear and deterioration across multiple systems rather than isolated problems. Before purchasing any 2001 Rover 75, have a pre-buy inspection focus on brakes, suspension, and steering—the dangerous defects category—since nearly one in four have shown critical faults historically.

Below average reliability 10% below UK average
70%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
72,731
typical mileage
56,168–93,472 middle half
27.6%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
3.97
avg MOT failures per car
over 12.6 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.3 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

70.9%
Petrol
10,428 vehicles
68.6%
Diesel
7,117 vehicles

What to check before buying a 2001 Rover 75

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.
  • ⚠️ 27.6% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 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 75

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

Inspection ClickMechanic Have a qualified mechanic check this car before you commit to buying

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Petrol (59%) 10,428 70.9% 3.63
Diesel (40%) 7,117 68.6% 4.46
LPG (0%) 26 70.3% 3.54
Gas Bi-Fuel (0%) 2 87.5% 1
Other (0%) 1 100% 0

Mileage Distribution

Most 2001 Rover 75 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.

56,168
low mileage
72,731
typical
93,472
high mileage

Half of all 2001 Rover 75 vehicles fall between 56,168 and 93,472 miles.

2001 Rover 75 — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 562 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (7% of peak).

7,987 562 2014 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.

MOT History Averages

12.6
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
3.97
Avg failures per vehicle
15.5
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2001 Rover 75

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 66.8%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 66.6%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 58.3%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 58%
    Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 52.3%
    Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 52.1%
    Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 35.5%
    Parking brake: efficiency below requirements
  • 34.4%
    Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2001. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Rover 75?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Rover 75:

1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006