Triumph Herald 1200 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free Triumph Herald 1200 car check
Is the Triumph Herald 1200 reliable? We analysed 7,805 real MOT tests across 977 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific Triumph Herald 1200? Enter the reg for a free check:
The Triumph Herald 1200 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded and windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Triumph Herald 1200.
Triumph Herald 1200 Number Plates
Number plates registered to a Triumph Herald 1200. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
Triumph Herald 1200 MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a Triumph Herald 1200 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
Triumph Herald 1200 Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a Triumph Herald 1200 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
Triumph Herald 1200 Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical Triumph Herald 1200 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
Triumph Herald 1200 MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Triumph Herald 1200 year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 360 | 75.0% | 50,007 | 70,266 | 82,305 |
| 1969 | 454 | 70.0% | 24,206 | 41,059 | 72,450 |
| 1968 | 601 | 74.7% | 11,972 | 38,322 | 69,984 |
| 1967 | 1,618 | 74.0% | 21,285 | 55,879 | 77,592 |
| 1966 | 1,337 | 78.6% | 11,090 | 38,925 | 71,368 |
| 1965 | 1,016 | 74.2% | 24,183 | 50,918 | 72,885 |
| 1964 | 697 | 78.0% | 21,716 | 49,947 | 71,671 |
| 1963 | 579 | 77.9% | 43,121 | 59,353 | 83,260 |
| 1962 | 604 | 78.1% | 20,062 | 46,480 | 64,499 |
| 1961 | 351 | 75.8% | 18,632 | 51,091 | 64,684 |
How Long Does a Triumph Herald 1200 Last?
Based on 977 Triumph Herald 1200 vehicles on UK roads.
Triumph Herald 1200 Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all Triumph Herald 1200 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used Triumph Herald 1200
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
78.6% MOT pass rate from 1,337 tests
70.0% MOT pass rate from 454 tests
The best year to buy a used Triumph Herald 1200 is 1966, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 78.6% across 1,337 tests. The 1969 model year has the lowest pass rate at 70.0% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the Triumph Herald 1200 Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triumph Herald 1200 THIS CAR | 75.9% | 7,805 | 50,293 mi | 65 yrs |
| Triumph Bonneville | 90.1% | 235,206 | 7,823 mi | 53 yrs |
| Triumph Tiger | 90.6% | 196,853 | 17,026 mi | 32 yrs |
| Triumph Sprint | 87.3% | 158,613 | 21,242 mi | 33 yrs |
| Kawasaki Zxr | 79.4% | 2,772 | 27,195 mi | 37 yrs |
Compared to the Triumph Bonneville (90.1% pass rate) and the Triumph Tiger (90.6% pass rate), the Triumph Herald 1200 trails behind on MOT reliability.
Found a Triumph Herald 1200 you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific Triumph Herald 1200Should you buy a used Triumph Herald 1200?
The Triumph Herald 1200 has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.9% across 7,805 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
The most common problems on the Triumph Herald 1200 are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (435 recorded failures), suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (361), and windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (276). 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 Triumph Herald 1200 owner drives around 267 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 Triumph Herald 1200 models stay on UK roads for around 65 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.