# Motorwise - service guide

> A reference to Motorwise's current vehicle reports, comparison, driver tools and published articles, with the limitations needed to interpret them.

Reviewed: 8 September 2026.

Motorwise is an independent UK vehicle-information website. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA, DVLA or GOV.UK. The vehicle reports, comparison, tools and articles described here are free and require no account or payment.

Start at [Motorwise](https://motorwise.io/). The [site guide](https://motorwise.io/llms.txt) provides a short list of entry points.

## Vehicle lookup and MOT history

Enter a vehicle registration on the homepage to open its report. The report combines MOT-history information from DVSA with vehicle and tax information from DVLA, where returned by those services.

- Vehicle details can include make, model, fuel type, colour, engine capacity and registration or manufacture dates. Fields may be missing, and dates from different sources may describe different events.
- MOT History lists available test dates, results, recorded mileage and defect or advisory descriptions. Open a test for its details or expand the list to see more tests.
- Tax shows the returned DVLA tax status and due date. A tax-status lookup is different from the estimated annual tax amount shown in the emissions section.
- The report links to government services for MOT reminders, certificates and correcting records, and offers station-finding controls. Motorwise does not itself issue MOT certificates or run the government's reminder service.

Available history depends on the vehicle, test location and source coverage. A missing result or empty history does not establish that a vehicle is exempt, roadworthy or free of faults. Recently registered or imported vehicles may have little UK test history. Testing rules vary by vehicle class and jurisdiction; the three-year rule is not universal.

Official references: [MOT history and coverage](https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history), [when an MOT is required](https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot), [vehicle tax and SORN status](https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax).

## Comparison and charts

Open Comparison within a vehicle report. That report is the reference vehicle; the comparison panel allows up to four additional vehicles with MOT history. Add registrations, select Compare, and switch between the table and charts. Added vehicles can be removed or cleared.

- The table compares recorded MOT outcomes, expiry, test counts, pass rates, defects, advisories and mileage.
- Mileage shows a line for each vehicle, with the reference vehicle emphasised and mileage details on hover or tap.
- Health shows defect and advisory counts alongside mileage for the reference vehicle.
- Categories shows the reference vehicle's automatically grouped systems as horizontal bars, with a detail list of descriptions, severities and dates.

Automatic categorisation can misclassify descriptions, and summaries may treat older defect formats differently. Consult the original MOT entries before drawing conclusions. A comparison label or ranking is not a safety assessment or a recommendation to buy.

Comparison data is retained in the browser across visits. Saved records can be older than a fresh lookup; clearing the comparison is separate from clearing all site storage.

## MOT Insights and Systems Health

MOT Insights provides model-level failure patterns from a locally held MOT statistics dataset, with comparisons against baseline rates and a methodology explanation. Where data is available, the report also offers a checklist of common MOT failure areas before booking a test.

These are patterns across a make and model. They do not confirm that the searched vehicle has a particular fault, that the same engine variant is affected, or that the figures predict its next MOT result. Coverage depends on the stored dataset and model matching.

Systems Health highlights findings from the latest recorded test and recurring descriptions in earlier tests. It does not track repairs after an MOT or establish whether a historical advisory remains unresolved today.

## Mileage analysis

The report plots recorded odometer readings and analyses decreases, unusually large increases, gaps between tests and variation in usage. Additional summaries compare mileage with broad benchmarks and estimate annual use. Detailed mileage insights need at least two usable readings.

Mileage discrepancies are reasons to investigate, not proof of odometer tampering. Recording errors, unit differences, instrument replacement and missing records can affect interpretation. Consistent readings do not prove that mileage is genuine.

Treat risk labels, suggested commercial use and remaining-life estimates as rule-based guidance. They are not a validated fraud probability, confirmed usage history or a prediction of how long a vehicle will last.

## Emissions, zones and tax estimates

The report's Emissions & ULEZ section uses returned DVLA fields and Motorwise calculations. Euro standard and CO2 may be estimated when values are missing. It also displays estimated tax bands or annual tax costs and guidance for London ULEZ, Scottish LEZs and other clean-air zones.

Motorwise does not query a zone operator's vehicle-compliance database to produce these results. Registration age is an imperfect substitute for emissions evidence; vehicle class, exemptions and operator records can change the result. The separate ULEZ tool includes illustrative private-car guidance, approximate maps and cost scenarios rather than a check of every UK charging scheme.

Confirm compliance, boundaries, charges and exemptions with the operator before travelling. Scottish LEZs use penalty notices for non-compliant vehicles; they do not offer a daily entry charge that can be prepaid. Tax estimates can use older rates and incomplete vehicle details; confirm the amount through DVLA.

Official references: [TfL ULEZ information and vehicle checker](https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone), [Scottish LEZ information and checker](https://www.mygov.scot/low-emission-zones), [English clean-air zones](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-in-a-clean-air-zone), [vehicle tax rates](https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables).

## Fuel estimates

The report's Fuel Efficiency section estimates urban, combined and extra-urban MPG from broad vehicle characteristics such as fuel type, engine size, age and make. These are not manufacturer-certified consumption figures for the precise vehicle. Electric-vehicle figures are estimates too.

Running costs use assumed fuel or electricity prices and an annual-mileage estimate, using MOT readings where usable or a default otherwise. A calculator allows different assumptions. Prices are not supplied by a live pump-price feed, and calculated CO2 values should not replace recorded emissions data.

The standalone MPG tool uses its own calculations, including CO2-derived MPG or engine-size suggestions for registration lookups. Its estimates can differ from the vehicle report. Enter measured fuel use and the actual price paid when those are available.

## Ownership and registration information

Ownership & Registration displays the last V5C issue date where returned, elapsed time since that date, plate-region information and general regional context.

The V5C issue date is not proof of when ownership or keepership changed: documents can also be reissued for other reasons. A plate's area code does not establish where the vehicle has been driven, stored or exposed to flooding, salt or pollution. Regional descriptions are general context, not a vehicle-specific environmental history.

## Standalone tools

### MOT Checker

[Open MOT Checker](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/mot-checker.html).

Looks up MOT records, displays status and expiry information, lists tests and their recorded findings, and can show a recall warning when the source supplies one. Recall coverage is incomplete; no warning is not an all-clear.

If the API request fails, this tool may fall back to an estimate based on plate age. This fallback can display a status such as "MOT Valid" without having retrieved an MOT record. Treat the fallback as unverified and use the official MOT checker to establish status. This is different from the main report's lookup-error behaviour.

### ULEZ Checker

[Open ULEZ Checker](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/ulez-checker.html).

Retrieves DVLA vehicle details and calculates likely compliance. It estimates Euro standard when missing and can fall back to plate-age guidance when the lookup fails. It includes London ULEZ and Scottish LEZ estimates, illustrative guidance for selected English clean-air zones, approximate zone maps and a cost simulator. The last useful result may be restored from browser storage, so a restored result is not necessarily a fresh check.

### MOT Station Finder

[Open MOT Station Finder](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/mot-station-finder.html).

Search the stored station directory by name, town or postcode, filter by test class, or use location-based searching and map views. Results include available station addresses and contact details. Browser permission is needed to use device location. Contact the station to confirm its services, availability and booking arrangements; listings are not live appointments.

### MPG Calculator

[Open MPG Calculator](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/mpg-calculator.html).

Calculates journey costs, required fuel, MPG from fuel spend and distance, MPG/L/100km conversions, annual commute costs, cost per mile and estimated CO2. It also compares fuel costs between two cars. MPG uses UK imperial gallons.

An optional registration lookup uses DVLA details and MOT history to suggest inputs. MPG can be derived from recorded CO2 or suggested from engine size when CO2 is unavailable. Preloaded comparison vehicles are examples. Review the vehicle selection, mileage, MPG and fuel-price inputs before using a result.

### Number Plate Decoder

[Open Number Plate Decoder](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/number-plate-decoder.html).

Decodes the area and age identifiers in the modern GB format: two letters, two digits and three letters. It uses a local reference table, not a DVLA vehicle lookup. Older, dateless, personalised and Northern Ireland formats are not generally covered by this input decoder. Transferred registrations do not reliably describe the current vehicle's age or location.

### Car Age Checker

[Open Car Age Checker](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/car-age-checker.html).

Estimates age from the start of a modern plate's six-month registration period. It does not retrieve the actual registration or manufacture date. Reference tables on the page do not mean the input supports all older plate or VIN formats.

### Tyre Size Comparison

[Open Tyre Size Comparison](https://motorwise.io/tools/html/tyre-size-comparison.html).

Compares two entered tyre sizes: diameter, width, sidewall, circumference, revolutions, theoretical speedometer and odometer effects, ride-height change and effective gearing. Includes visual comparisons and a list of sizes with similar diameters.

A small diameter difference is not confirmation that a tyre fits safely. The calculator does not check vehicle approval, rim suitability, clearance, load or speed ratings. Confirm those with the vehicle or tyre manufacturer or a qualified fitter.

## Published articles

The [Articles homepage](https://motorwise.io/articles/) leads through topic, make, model and engine variant to the article. Common faults is the first topic; the current collection covers Land Rover.

- [Common faults](https://motorwise.io/articles/common-faults/): Known problems and inspection guidance for particular model, engine and year combinations.
- [Technical specifications](https://motorwise.io/articles/specs/): Variant-specific technical reference data, with the available subjects depending on the article.
- [MOT reliability](https://motorwise.io/articles/mot-reliability/): First-test MOT results by make, model and registration year.

Browsing pages offer search and pagination. Match the engine, year range and other variant details before applying an article. A listed common fault is not a diagnosis of a searched registration, and a specification article is not automatically matched to a registration report. Read each article's source notes and qualifications.

Use the browsing pages for the current collection and the [sitemap](https://motorwise.io/sitemap.xml) for the page inventory.

## Data sources, freshness and storage

- DVSA MOT History API supplies vehicle and MOT records for registration lookups. Returned coverage and fields vary by vehicle and test source.
- DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service supplies tax status and available registration, vehicle and emissions fields. It does not supply a full ownership, finance or insurance history.
- MOT Insights and station results use datasets held by Motorwise. They are not newly fetched from a government service on every request; their coverage and freshness depend on the stored data.
- Mileage, grouping, fuel, emissions, tax and regional summaries include Motorwise calculations or reference tables. An official input does not make a derived result an official determination.
- Motorwise caches vehicle responses on its servers and in the browser. Comparison selections and some other results or preferences persist in browser storage.
- Server logs can retain searched registration numbers and request information. Clearing browser storage does not remove server logs.

See the [privacy notice](https://motorwise.io/legal/privacy.html) and [cookie and storage policy](https://motorwise.io/legal/cookies.html) for published policies and privacy contact information. Do not interpret browser-local comparison storage as a promise that nothing is retained on servers.

## Scope and access limitations

Motorwise does not provide outstanding-finance checks, insurance write-off records, stolen-vehicle database checks, previous keeper identities, plate-transfer histories or physical inspections. Its information does not constitute a complete pre-purchase check or establish current roadworthiness.

The current registration report does not include manufacturer TSB-to-MOT matching, repair labour times or a workshop technical-specifications panel. The separately published articles described above are available.

Interactive reports and tools require JavaScript; fresh lookups need an internet connection and functioning upstream services. Missing fields, unsupported records, rate limits and outages can affect results. Loading and calculation times vary with the connection, data and service availability.

## Help and contact

- [Help Centre](https://motorwise.io/faq/)
- [Terms and conditions](https://motorwise.io/legal/terms.html)
- [Contact Motorwise](https://motorwise.io/legal/contact.html): support@motorwise.io