All generations and engines together · 8,409 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 27k
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 2,920 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Air springs, lines and the compressor on these cars are a known weak point: a corner sags overnight, the ride goes harsh, or the compressor runs almost constantly trying to keep up. It tends to show up from around 60-80k miles on cars that are eight years old or more. This lines up with the measured MOT signature for this model, which flags leaks as the standout failure category; the air suspension is the expensive, owner-reported version of that same pattern. A single front air spring/damper unit runs well over a thousand pounds in parts alone, so a full system going at once can run into several thousand fitted.
Specialist parts suppliers report the radiator corroding from the base, where leaves and road debris collect against it, leading to slow coolant loss and eventual overheating warnings. It's mostly a higher-mileage or older-car problem rather than something that hits early. A replacement radiator alone is around £550 in parts, before fitting.
The rear calipers carry an electronic parking-brake motor, and these are reported to fail or seize across the range, not tied to one generation. A buyer would notice a parking-brake warning light, a brake that won't release cleanly, or a rear wheel that drags slightly. A caliper-and-motor kit runs around £420 in parts alone, more once fitted.
A droning or humming noise at a steady cruising speed, usually traced to a worn front wheel bearing, is a recurring complaint from around 60k miles onward. Some owners and specialists treat this as a genuine weak point; others point out this is a 2.3-tonne car and bearings wearing out is just what heavy cars do. Either way it's a real repair, with a replacement hub/bearing assembly around £375 in parts before labour.
On cars fitted with the newer eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, some reviewers and owners note occasional hesitation pulling away or a slightly clunky take-up in first gear, more noticeable because the rest of the car is otherwise so smooth. It isn't reported as a failure pattern, more a driving-feel niggle worth confirming on a test drive. Doesn't apply to earlier torque-converter automatic cars.
The third-generation Continental GT, launched in 2021, introduced Bentley's first plug-in hybrid powertrain, co-developed with Porsche. Reviewers report few reliability issues so far, but the system is new enough that there's no long-term ownership record yet, particularly for the high-voltage battery and hybrid electronics once they're out of warranty. Worth budgeting for uncertainty rather than assuming it will age like the older V8/W12 cars.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Coupés, convertibles & GT), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.