Alfa Romeo 147 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
48.0% of 1,917 MOT tests of the Alfa Romeo 147 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 92.3 (95% CI 86.3–98.2; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 Alfa Romeo 147 fails less often than other build years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 48.0 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 1917 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 86.3–98.2) | 92.3 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 1917 |
| Rank among this model's 8 build years | 2 | of 8 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 1917 |
| Tested in 2024 | 203 | tests | median 89,996 miles | 2024 | 203 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Alfa Romeo 147 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 897 | 49.7 | 46.5–53 | 54.8 | 90.8 |
| 17 | 567 | 49.6 | 45.5–53.7 | 52.2 | 94.9 |
| 18 | 453 (rough estimate) | 42.8 | 38.3–47.4 | 46.5 | 92.1 |
| 19 | 323 (rough estimate) | 39.3 | 34.1–44.7 | not available | not available |
| 20 | 256 (rough estimate) | 36.3 | 30.7–42.4 | not available | not available |
| 21 | 203 (rough estimate) | 37.4 | 31.1–44.3 | not available | not available |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,699 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2003 Alfa Romeo 147?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 34.5 items per 100 first tests, against 31.4 across all build years of the Alfa Romeo 147. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 34.5 | 31.4 | 930 |
| Suspension | 31.1 | 37.2 | 839 |
| Brakes | 23.6 | 26.3 | 637 |
| Visibility | 17.6 | 15.8 | 476 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 17.6 | 16.7 | 474 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,699 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 8 published build years of the Alfa Romeo 147, 2003 ranks 2 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 99.8. 2004: index 95.6.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 99.8 | 91.5–108.0 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,070 |
| 2003 | 92.3 | 86.3–98.2 | better (rough estimate) | 1,917 |
| 2004 | 95.6 | 89.5–101.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,931 |
| 2005 | 96.1 | 90.6–101.6 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,443 |
| 2006 | 100.4 | 95.0–105.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,729 |
| 2007 | 98.5 | 93.8–103.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,488 |
| 2008 | 94.1 | 89.8–98.5 | better (rough estimate) | 3,924 |
| 2009 | 89.9 | 82.2–97.6 | better (rough estimate) | 1,234 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 18,736 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Alfa Romeo 147 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/alfa-romeo-147/2003/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Alfa Romeo 147 2002 · Alfa Romeo 147 2004 · Alfa Romeo 147 2005 · Alfa Romeo 147 2006 · Alfa Romeo 147 2007 · Alfa Romeo 147 2008 · Alfa Romeo 147 2009 · Alfa Romeo 147 in the Netherlands · Alfa Romeo 147 by postcode area · Alfa Romeo 147 body, chassis and structure failures · Alfa Romeo 147 brakes failures · Alfa Romeo 147 vehicle identification failures · Alfa Romeo 147 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Alfa Romeo 147 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Alfa Romeo 147 road wheels failures · Alfa Romeo 147 seat belts and airbags failures · Alfa Romeo 147 steering failures · Alfa Romeo 147 suspension failures · Alfa Romeo 147 tyres failures · Alfa Romeo 147 visibility failures