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Rover 214 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Rover 214 car check

Is the Rover 214 reliable? We analysed 1,033,973 real MOT tests across 183,124 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,033,973 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
67.6%
Typical Mileage
75,438mi
Annual Mileage
4,425mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
36yrs

The Rover 214 is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive and brake pipe excessively corroded. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Rover 214.

Rover 214 Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Rover 214. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Rover 214 MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Rover 214 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

69.7%
2002
72.7%
2001
69%
2000
69.7%
1999
68.8%
1998
67.5%
1997
65.8%
1996
67.4%
1995
66.2%
1994
65.9%
1993
67.1%
1992
65.4%
1991
65.1%
1990
62.7%
1989
70.2%
1971

Rover 214 Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Rover 214 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 67,012
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 49,655
Brake pipe excessively corroded 42,958
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 40,016
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 34,983
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 31,928
Direction indicator incorrect colour 28,544
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 26,427
Stop lamp not working 26,145
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits 26,144

Rover 214 Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Rover 214 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
2,411 mi/yr
Typical
4,425 mi/yr
Average
5,246 mi/yr
Heavy usage
7,037 mi/yr

Rover 214 MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Rover 214 year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2002 119 69.7% 49,046 71,748 81,948
2001 150 72.7% 57,594 69,655 84,420
2000 15,062 69.0% 47,547 62,132 79,745
1999 166,466 69.7% 48,374 64,376 81,596
1998 205,463 68.8% 52,139 68,294 85,757
1997 178,790 67.5% 56,716 73,475 90,983
1996 116,851 65.8% 60,535 78,320 96,144
1995 122,566 67.4% 65,526 83,581 101,973
1994 95,912 66.2% 66,826 85,913 105,605
1993 57,443 65.9% 68,820 88,530 109,248
1992 35,929 67.1% 71,444 92,415 113,765
1991 22,990 65.4% 73,732 97,728 120,978
1990 14,762 65.1% 74,152 100,674 127,536
1989 1,131 62.7% 70,517 97,180 127,130
1971 124 70.2% 54,937 75,676 99,042

How Long Does a Rover 214 Last?

Based on 183,124 Rover 214 vehicles on UK roads.

Average
12.6 years
Median
12.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
36 years

Rover 214 Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Rover 214 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
75,438 mi
75th Percentile
95,200 mi
95th Percentile
128,544 mi
Max Recorded
999,999 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Rover 214

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2001

72.7% MOT pass rate from 150 tests

Year to avoid
1989

62.7% MOT pass rate from 1,131 tests

The best year to buy a used Rover 214 is 2001, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 72.7% across 150 tests. The 1989 model year has the lowest pass rate at 62.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Rover 214 Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Rover 214 THIS CAR 67.6% 1,033,973 75,438 mi 36 yrs
Rover 25 72.1% 1,784,341 53,712 mi 26 yrs
Rover 75 70.7% 1,365,354 77,595 mi 27 yrs
Rover 45 72.3% 849,212 60,304 mi 26 yrs
Volkswagen Touran 74.9% 1,718,428 86,001 mi 23 yrs

Compared to the Rover 25 (72.1% pass rate) and the Rover 75 (70.7% pass rate), the Rover 214 trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Rover 214?

The Rover 214 has an overall MOT pass rate of 67.6% across 1,033,973 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Rover 214 are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (67,012 recorded failures), exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (49,655), and brake pipe excessively corroded (42,958). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Rover 214 owner drives around 4,425 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Rover 214 models stay on UK roads for around 36 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Rover 214 — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rover 214 reliable?
Based on 1,033,973 MOT tests, the Rover 214 has a 67.6% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Rover 214?
The most common MOT failures are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive, and brake pipe excessively corroded. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Rover 214 do per year?
The typical Rover 214 does around 4,425 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Rover 214 last?
Most Rover 214 models stay on UK roads for around 36 years based on our analysis of 183,124 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Rover 214?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Rover 214?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Rover 214 is 2001 with a 72.7% pass rate across 150 tests.