Alfa Romeo 159 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
34.4% of 489 MOT tests of the Alfa Romeo 159 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 87.4 (95% CI 74.2–100.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 build year is no different from other 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 | 34.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 489 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 74.2–100.6) | 87.4 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 489 |
| Rank among this model's 7 build years | 1 | of 7 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 489 |
| Tested in 2024 | 91 | tests | median 91,283 miles | 2024 | 91 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Alfa Romeo 159 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 107 (rough estimate) | 38.3 | 29.7–47.8 | not available | not available |
| 8 | 98 (rough estimate) | 24.5 | 17–33.9 | 34.6 | 70.8 |
| 9 | 104 (rough estimate) | 38.5 | 29.7–48.1 | 36.8 | 104.4 |
| 10 | 104 (rough estimate) | 35.6 | 27–45.1 | 40.1 | 88.7 |
| 11 | 92 (rough estimate) | 39.1 | 29.8–49.3 | 42.4 | 92.3 |
| 12 | 91 (rough estimate) | 34.1 | 25.2–44.3 | 43.2 | 78.8 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 596 (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 2012 Alfa Romeo 159?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is suspension: 19.5 items per 100 first tests, against 32.4 across all build years of the Alfa Romeo 159. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 19.5 | 32.4 | 116 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 16.1 | 24 | 96 |
| Brakes | 14.6 | 24.7 | 87 |
| Tyres | 13.6 | 15.1 | 81 |
| Visibility | 9.1 | 9.2 | 54 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 596 (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 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 7 published build years of the Alfa Romeo 159, 2012 ranks 1 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 95.3.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 101.6 | 96.0–107.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,719 |
| 2007 | 100.3 | 96.9–103.7 | no different | 7,359 |
| 2008 | 100.2 | 96.5–103.8 | no different | 6,437 |
| 2009 | 99.9 | 96.2–103.7 | no different | 6,192 |
| 2010 | 95.6 | 91.3–99.9 | better | 4,758 |
| 2011 | 95.3 | 89.9–100.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,067 |
| 2012 | 87.4 | 74.2–100.6 | no different (rough estimate) | 489 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 31,021 (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 159 2012 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-159/2012/
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 159 2006 · Alfa Romeo 159 2007 · Alfa Romeo 159 2008 · Alfa Romeo 159 2009 · Alfa Romeo 159 2010 · Alfa Romeo 159 2011 · Alfa Romeo 159 in Norway · Alfa Romeo 159 in Finland · Alfa Romeo 159 in the Netherlands · Alfa Romeo 159 by postcode area · Alfa Romeo 159 body, chassis and structure failures · Alfa Romeo 159 brakes failures · Alfa Romeo 159 vehicle identification failures · Alfa Romeo 159 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Alfa Romeo 159 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Alfa Romeo 159 road wheels failures · Alfa Romeo 159 seat belts and airbags failures · Alfa Romeo 159 steering failures · Alfa Romeo 159 suspension failures · Alfa Romeo 159 tyres failures · Alfa Romeo 159 visibility failures