Why some cars pass the NCT and others don’t – and what you can do to stop your motor failing the test

It is a simple question: how come some car models pass their NCT test in greater numbers than others? H ow come your neighbour’s older car passes every time and yours doesn’t? The answer is not nearly as straightforward as might appear from the bare statistics. There are several multifaceted factors at play. Read More Revealed: Where in the country your car is most (and least) likely to pass the NCT Independent Advice Desk: Unsure about the ins and outs of your next car purchase? Here’s what the experts say Recently published figures by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) show three SUVs – the hybrid Toyota C-HR, the Suzuki Vitara and the Renault Kadjar – and the Mercedes Benz CLA were the only cars from the 200 most popular models to score pass rates of over 80pc.

The figures are for first-time tests only. There is usually a high re-test pass rate so we need to be careful we don’t jump to conclusions too early in the process. For all that, there is no doubt that some cars are just better built to withstand the wear and tear of everyday driving.

Drivers of the popular Toyota C-HR crossover will be delighted to find that the car had a pass rate last year of 85. 42pc. It is a relatively new model and benefits from the latest technological improvement.

It is, like all the maker’s vehicles, subjected to stringent manufacturing standards. Expand Close The Suzuki Vitara was also among the best cars for passing the NCT first time / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Suzuki Vitara was also among the best cars for passing the NCT first time Home & Property Newsletter Get the best home, property and gardening stories straight to your inbox every Saturday Enter email address This field is required Sign Up Yet if you are the owner of a Lexus IS200 saloon (Lexus is part of Toyota), you could be among those who fared worst first time, as it has a pass rate of just 27. 73pc.

Just to put things in further perspective: Lexus consistently fares well in dependability surveys such as the JD Power report. The IS has been around a long time and age has to be a contributing factor. The same goes for many of the other Top 10 failures, with the likes of the Volkswagen Bora, Nissan Primera, Chevrolet Aveo all ancient in motoring terms.

Age, mileage and wear and tear have taken their toll. But if age were the only determinant, the Lexus CT200h would not be in the Top 10 highest pass bracket (78. 89pc) because it has been around for quite a long while too.

How can you have one model in the “Best” and another in the “Worst” categories for passing the NCT? Let’s have a look, in no particular order, at what could be the major factors affecting your chances of getting your car, regardless of make, through first time. 1. Mileage It stands to reason that the more miles you put up, the more wear and tear your car has to endure and the more likely that is to affect the overall condition of the vehicle as time goes by.

But there are people out there driving cars with 200,000km to 500,000km on the clock that are going well. That’s because they are looked after, regularly serviced and driven with care. They are far more likely to pass.

Expand Close Stock image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stock image 2. Maintenance It is possible to have your car, regardless of age, in tip-top shape if you devote time and money to keeping it NCT-fit. A bit like humans, little and often can avert lots of trouble.

Make sure you use a trustworthy source for any work carried out, especially where brakes, lights and suspension are concerned. Bad work creates problems elsewhere in a car. 3.

Preparation for test On top of regular maintenance, make sure tyres and lights are working perfectly; windows, mirrors, reg plates etc must be clean; seat belts have to be fully visible; top up toil, engine coolant, brake fluid, windscreen wash, wipers etc. 4. Reliability There is no denying that some cars have earned huge reputations for reliability.

In the public eye, they tend to be perceived to be Japanese- or South Korean-built, though many European marques are establishing a lot more trust as many apply warranties. And the figures show a good smattering of high-rate passes. Expand Close The mileage being clocked up can be key to NCT viability / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The mileage being clocked up can be key to NCT viability 5.

Age There are some exceptional circumstances where people only put up a few thousand kilometres a year. But in the main, the average is 15,000km to 20,000km so a 10-year-old is pushing big numbers. Changing more frequently, if you can in this age of scarce used and new cars, means you are less likely to run into big trouble later on.

It also means you are driving a safer car because of upgrades in technology and engineering, and you’re more likely to get through the NCT unscathed. 6. Letting the test discover the faults Some people don’t bother with a major preparation and let the NCT pick up the faults.

Then they get the repairs done (or not if too costly) and pass the re-test (usually). That’s why first-time pass figures can be misleading if not taken as part of a bigger picture. But it can be a waste of money to “double test” as you have to pay for the retest (in most cases) when a few euro would have rectified what the NCT discovered.

7. You the driver A lot of what you do behind the wheel can affect wear and tear – such as heavy braking/acceleration, excessively using the clutch/gearbox when there is no need etc. The advice is to drive smoothly and anticipate, rather than react to, what’s likely to happen.

Expand Close Poor roads needed to be avoided to safeguard against rattles and suspension problems. Photo: Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Poor roads needed to be avoided to safeguard against rattles and suspension problems. Photo: Steve Humphreys 8.

Road conditions Drive ultra slowly on poor roads because consistent, heavy bumps and shudders can badly affect your suspension as well as generating rattles which heighten the risk of the car being failed – and a fall in the value of your car when you come to sell. 9. Between tests Finally, remember you need to keep your car in top shape-between tests.

They are only a one-day snapshot of your car’s road-worthiness. Read More Independent Advice Desk: Unsure about the ins and outs of your next car purchase? Here’s what the experts say Revealed: Where in the country your car is most (and least) likely to pass the NCT.