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GeraSure / Vehicle Risk Index

UK Car Insurance Risk by Make and Model

The Gera Vehicle Risk Index (GVRI) ranks 600 UK make+model combinations on a 0–100 scale using 26,016,787 DVSA MOT tests (2016, OGL v3.0). Highest risk: NISSAN VANETTE (76/100). UK fleet average: 37/100.

Which UK car has the highest insurance and MOT risk by make and model?

Based on 26,016,787 DVSA MOT tests in 2016, NISSAN VANETTE has the highest Gera Vehicle Risk Index (76/100) among 600 UK make+model combinations, with a MOT fail rate of 53.6%. The UK fleet average GVRI is 37/100 (OGL v3.0 data, Gera Systems).

Source:DVSA Anonymised MOT Test Results — DfT·as of 2016updated annually (last: )
Gera Vehicle Risk Index76 / 100Highest GVRI among 600 UK make+model combinations — NISSAN VANETTE (2016 DVSA MOT data, OGL v3.0)How this index is calculated

Check your car's Gera Vehicle Risk Index

Select your make and model to see its GVRI, MOT fail rate, and comparison to the UK fleet average.

Select your vehicle make to check its Gera Vehicle Risk Index — computed from 26,016,787 real DVSA MOT tests.

Highest-risk UK cars by GVRI (2016 DVSA MOT data)

Top 20 UK cars by Gera Vehicle Risk Index — DVSA MOT 2016 (OGL v3.0)
MakeModelGVRI / 100Risk bandMOT fail rateTests
NissanVanette76Very High Risk53.6%3,196
FiatMultipla73High Risk51.3%6,905
DaewooMatiz72High Risk50.9%15,252
FordPuma69High Risk48.7%15,307
FiatStilo68High Risk48.2%15,582
Alfa romeo15667High Risk46.9%8,892
VauxhallCorsa sxi 16v67High Risk47.9%3,486
CitroenSaxo66High Risk47.1%38,699
DaewooKalos66High Risk47.0%5,546
MazdaPremacy66High Risk46.5%3,929
Mazda32364High Risk45.4%14,835
MitsubishiSpace star64High Risk44.7%9,853
HyundaiTrajet64High Risk43.9%4,513
VauxhallCorsa club 16v64High Risk45.5%3,664
FiatSeicento63High Risk45.0%11,746
NissanTerrano ii63High Risk45.0%8,605
MitsubishiCarisma63High Risk43.9%7,944
CitroenC863High Risk44.3%7,006
Peugeot80763High Risk45.0%6,593
Peugeot10662High Risk44.1%42,720

GVRI = 0.6 × MOT_fail_rate + 0.4 × avg_defect_severity_norm, min-max scaled 0–100. Class-4 (car) normal tests only. N ≥ 30 threshold applied. Source: DVSA MOT 2016.

Lowest-risk UK cars by GVRI (2016)

10 UK cars with lowest Gera Vehicle Risk Index — DVSA MOT 2016
MakeModelGVRI / 100Risk bandMOT fail rateTests
HondaJazz i-vtec es cvt7Very Low Risk2.9%3,750
SkodaCitigo9Very Low Risk5.2%11,466
HondaJazz i-vtec es9Very Low Risk3.8%4,166
FordFiesta zetec auto9Very Low Risk6.2%3,565
ToyotaPrius t3 vvt-i cvt9Very Low Risk6.7%3,127
VauxhallMokka10Very Low Risk5.4%15,722
ToyotaYaris tr vvt-i10Very Low Risk6.5%9,572
VolkswagenHigh up10Very Low Risk4.7%5,001
VolkswagenMove up11Very Low Risk5.4%10,361
VolkswagenUp11Very Low Risk7.0%8,327

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Browse by model (600 combinations)

Individual GVRI pages are available for 600 UK make+model combinations with ≥30 MOT tests in the 2016 DVSA dataset.

Showing 30 of 600 vehicles. Use the tool above to look up any make and model, or browse individual pages below.

UK car insurance risk: frequently asked questions

What is the Gera Vehicle Risk Index (GVRI)?
The Gera Vehicle Risk Index (GVRI) is a 0–100 composite score measuring the MOT failure and defect risk profile of a make+model combination. It is computed from two components: MOT fail rate (60% weight) and average defect severity per failed test (40% weight), both derived from the DVSA Anonymised MOT Test Results dataset (2016, OGL v3.0). A GVRI of 0 = lowest risk; 100 = highest risk. Only combinations with ≥30 tests are included.
How is MOT fail rate calculated?
MOT fail rate = number of failed tests ÷ total class-4 (car) normal tests for that make+model in the DVSA 2016 dataset. It is the fraction of tests where the vehicle received a result of 'F' (fail). PRS (Pass with Rectification at Station) results are counted as passes. Only initial (normal) tests are counted — retests are excluded.
What does average defect severity mean?
For each failed test, defect severity is the mean severity of all 'failure' items: standard failure items score 1; items marked as dangerous (D) score 3. The per-test average is then averaged across all failed tests for that make+model. This gives a sense of whether failures tend to be routine (e.g. lighting) or safety-critical (e.g. brakes, steering). Higher average severity → higher GVRI (via the 0.4 weight).
Does a higher GVRI mean higher insurance premiums?
A higher GVRI reflects a higher rate of MOT failures and more severe defects, which correlates with claim risk and therefore with insurance pricing — but the GVRI is not a premium quote. Insurers also weigh driver age, NCB, postcode, annual mileage, modifications and many other factors. The GVRI provides objective context for understanding a model's relative mechanical reliability and risk profile.
Which cars have the lowest GVRI (lowest risk)?
HONDA JAZZ I-VTEC ES CVT has the lowest GVRI among the 600 most-tested combinations (GVRI 7/100, 2016 data). Japanese and German luxury models typically score in the Very Low Risk band (GVRI < 15), while older, high-volume economy cars and LCVs tend to score higher. Check individual model pages for precise figures.
Where does the data come from?
All GVRI values are computed from the DVSA Anonymised MOT Test Results dataset, published by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The 2016 file contained 26,016,787 class-4 (car) normal MOT tests. The full formula is published on the GVRI methodology page and is independently reproducible from the source data.

Methodology

The Gera Vehicle Risk Index is computed from DVSA Anonymised MOT Test Results (OGL v3.0): GVRI = 0.6 × MOT_fail_rate + 0.4 × avg_defect_severity_norm, min-max scaled to 0–100. Only class-4 (car) normal tests with N ≥ 30 are included. Full formula, inputs and step-by-step verification on the GVRI methodology page.

Contains public sector information published by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT Test Results — DfT (2016, published 2016).

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