MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Vauxhall Astra — MOT statistics 2024

All Vauxhall Astra variants tested in Great Britain in 2024 — 914,157 MOT tests, every generation and engine together.

MOT risk index
109.1
100 = normal for its age

This car fails its MOT about 9% more often than expected for its age.

Rank 16 of 25 families published so far · margin of error ±1 points

What this means for buyers

Checklist when viewing a used Astra:
  1. Ask the seller about: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
  2. Listen for knocks over bumps — worn suspension joints are common
  3. Try every light and switch — lamps are a top failure
  4. Check tyre tread depth across the full width

Top specific failures

Exact defect wording from test records, per 100 tests.

What failedper 100
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened6.94
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.85
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources4.98
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements4.81
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view4.26
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements4.26
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm4.24
A tyre seriously damaged3.75
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen3.47
Exhaust system leaking or insecure3.27

Failures by component area

Lamps & electrical 29.9 Suspension 24.1 Brakes 20.9 Visibility 13.1 Tyres 13 Emissions & leaks 9.2

Early warnings (advisories)

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Brakes 72 Tyres 68.4 Suspension 50.6 Emissions & leaks 21.7 Non-component advisories 13.2 Body & structure 12.6

How it ages

3579111315171952%car age, years

Takeaway: a 10-year-old Astra has roughly a 32% chance of failing its MOT; from about age 5 it does worse than the average car.

Data table
AgeVauxhall AstraAll cars
39.6%10.9%
411.1%11.6%
515.5%13.5%
618.2%15.6%
719.6%18.2%
822.8%21.3%
929.5%24.4%
1031.6%27.7%
1132.1%30.6%
1233.9%33.4%
1337.0%36.0%
1439.9%38.6%
1543.6%39.9%
1644.8%41.5%
1746.5%41.5%
1847.7%42.4%
1948.4%42.2%
2044.1%37.5%

Where they fail most

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. Raw rates: coastal and rural areas run older fleets and salted roads.

Dundee (DD): 44.5% failing, 4,584 testsSalisbury (SP): 44.1% failing, 4,074 testsPlymouth (PL): 42.4% failing, 8,719 testsKirkcaldy (KY): 42.3% failing, 7,081 testsExeter (EX): 41.1% failing, 9,732 testsTorquay (TQ): 40.6% failing, 3,630 testsBristol (BS): 40.3% failing, 15,749 testsBath (BA): 39.8% failing, 6,977 testsPortsmouth (PO): 39.2% failing, 11,524 testsBournemouth (BH): 38.9% failing, 9,115 testsLincoln (LN): 38.5% failing, 7,228 testsHuddersfield (HD): 38.5% failing, 3,181 testsHull (HU): 38.3% failing, 8,006 testsNewport (NP): 37.9% failing, 7,945 testsCardiff (CF): 37.8% failing, 13,943 testsBrighton (BN): 37.8% failing, 9,691 testsAberdeen (AB): 37.6% failing, 7,857 testsDorchester (DT): 37.5% failing, 3,619 testsSwindon (SN): 37.1% failing, 6,903 testsTruro (TR): 37.1% failing, 4,186 testsSwansea (SA): 36.9% failing, 10,605 testsStockport (SK): 36.9% failing, 5,967 testsSouthampton (SO): 36.9% failing, 9,466 testsBlackpool (FY): 36.7% failing, 3,273 testsPerth (PH): 36.5% failing, 2,008 testsTaunton (TA): 36.5% failing, 5,188 testsYork (YO): 36.4% failing, 8,310 testsNorwich (NR): 36% failing, 13,218 testsCanterbury (CT): 35.9% failing, 6,729 testsColchester (CO): 35.8% failing, 6,501 testsGloucester (GL): 35.8% failing, 9,667 testsNottingham (NG): 35.7% failing, 19,489 testsNorthampton (NN): 35.5% failing, 12,390 testsHalifax (HX): 35.5% failing, 2,031 testsChester (CH): 35.5% failing, 14,165 testsSunderland (SR): 35.3% failing, 2,754 testsCarlisle (CA): 35.2% failing, 3,424 testsEdinburgh (EH): 35.2% failing, 11,745 testsWigan (WN): 35.1% failing, 4,809 testsManchester (M): 35% failing, 15,955 testsRedhill (RH): 34.9% failing, 7,430 testsLancaster (LA): 34.8% failing, 3,708 testsGalashiels (TD): 34.8% failing, 1,950 testsIpswich (IP): 34.8% failing, 9,392 testsOldham (OL): 34.8% failing, 6,007 testsLlandudno (LL): 34.7% failing, 11,948 testsPaisley (PA): 34.6% failing, 4,211 testsBolton (BL): 34.6% failing, 6,646 testsDarlington (DL): 34.6% failing, 5,531 testsInverness (IV): 34.5% failing, 3,690 testsPreston (PR): 34.4% failing, 7,591 testsStevenage (SG): 34% failing, 6,663 testsGuildford (GU): 33.9% failing, 9,117 testsBradford (BD): 33.8% failing, 8,115 testsTonbridge (TN): 33.7% failing, 10,664 testsHemel Hempstead (HP): 33.6% failing, 9,065 testsWolverhampton (WV): 33.5% failing, 8,011 testsHereford (HR): 33.4% failing, 3,083 testsStoke-on-Trent (ST): 33.4% failing, 9,866 testsMedway (ME): 33.3% failing, 11,190 testsWarrington (WA): 33.2% failing, 8,519 testsShrewsbury (SY): 33.1% failing, 6,763 testsIlford (IG): 33.1% failing, 3,019 testsFalkirk (FK): 33% failing, 3,815 testsLiverpool (L): 33% failing, 9,664 testsSt Albans (AL): 32.9% failing, 3,584 testsCrewe (CW): 32.6% failing, 5,498 testsWakefield (WF): 32.5% failing, 8,778 testsPeterborough (PE): 32.4% failing, 19,583 testsCambridge (CB): 32.4% failing, 5,867 testsNewcastle (NE): 32.4% failing, 15,916 testsMilton Keynes (MK): 32.3% failing, 11,144 testsTelford (TF): 32.3% failing, 4,538 testsLeeds (LS): 32.2% failing, 10,976 testsDoncaster (DN): 32.1% failing, 14,221 testsLondon SE (SE): 32.1% failing, 8,989 testsMotherwell (ML): 32.1% failing, 5,389 testsOxford (OX): 31.9% failing, 9,417 testsLondon W (W): 31.8% failing, 1,596 testsCleveland (TS): 31.4% failing, 10,369 testsKingston upon Thames (KT): 31.4% failing, 4,366 testsCoventry (CV): 31.3% failing, 11,496 testsWorcester (WR): 31.2% failing, 3,979 testsKilmarnock (KA): 31.1% failing, 6,488 testsWatford (WD): 31% failing, 2,821 testsLeicester (LE): 31% failing, 16,771 testsDerby (DE): 30.8% failing, 13,374 testsGlasgow (G): 30.7% failing, 16,939 testsDartford (DA): 30.7% failing, 7,423 testsLondon N (N): 30.6% failing, 5,141 testsBirmingham (B): 30.4% failing, 27,950 testsBlackburn (BB): 30.3% failing, 7,531 testsChelmsford (CM): 30.3% failing, 7,845 testsDudley (DY): 30.2% failing, 7,483 testsReading (RG): 30.1% failing, 13,541 testsCroydon (CR): 30% failing, 5,608 testsWalsall (WS): 29.9% failing, 7,815 testsSouthend-on-Sea (SS): 29.6% failing, 6,763 testsLondon SW (SW): 29.6% failing, 3,360 testsHarrow (HA): 29.6% failing, 5,057 testsDumfries (DG): 29.6% failing, 2,531 testsLuton (LU): 29.5% failing, 11,358 testsDurham (DH): 29.5% failing, 5,373 testsUxbridge (UB): 29.4% failing, 8,509 testsLondon E (E): 29.3% failing, 7,770 testsSlough (SL): 29.1% failing, 5,872 testsSheffield (S): 29% failing, 24,777 testsBromley (BR): 28.9% failing, 2,429 testsHarrogate (HG): 28.5% failing, 1,648 testsLondon NW (NW): 28.1% failing, 4,733 testsRomford (RM): 27.9% failing, 6,910 testsSutton (SM): 27.2% failing, 1,808 testsEnfield (EN): 26.8% failing, 5,385 testsTwickenham (TW): 26.1% failing, 8,118 tests % failing 29% 41%
Toughest areas% failing
Dundee (DD)44.52%
Salisbury (SP)44.11%
Plymouth (PL)42.39%
Kirkcaldy (KY)42.27%
Exeter (EX)41.07%
Easiest areas% failing
Twickenham (TW)26.09%
Enfield (EN)26.76%
Romford (RM)27.89%
London NW (NW)28.08%
Bromley (BR)28.94%

Does the test month matter?

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 4.0 percentage points — noticeable seasonality.

36.08% in month 1 J34.28% in month 2 F32.68% in month 3 M34.88% in month 4 A32.81% in month 5 M32.27% in month 6 J33.17% in month 7 J33.16% in month 8 A32.03% in month 9 S34.3% in month 10 O34.57% in month 11 N33.57% in month 12 D 38% 23%

bars: Vauxhall Astra · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthVauxhall AstraAll cars
Jan36.08%27.37%
Feb34.28%26.14%
Mar32.68%24.75%
Apr34.88%26.01%
May32.81%25.01%
Jun32.27%25.01%
Jul33.17%26.04%
Aug33.16%25.79%
Sep32.03%25.19%
Oct34.3%27.13%
Nov34.57%27.2%
Dec33.57%26.29%

Is the mileage normal?

A typical 8-year-old Astra has ~63,058 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

369121518car age, years 141k mi 0

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
316,30426,42838,4912,783
416,38124,06433,7604,137
526,19037,67551,95829,602
634,75847,96563,85445,141
741,36556,01673,72865,398
847,37863,05881,12378,877
953,07370,52691,11465,298
1060,44478,982100,50272,387
1167,74487,594110,56880,950
1274,60194,800118,95772,510
1378,19799,672123,55362,629
1478,10398,464120,84570,712
1578,266100,607124,41952,826
1684,697107,136131,46455,087
1786,540109,930134,51353,806
1885,747108,778132,34233,250
1983,036106,332131,37421,770
20+72,30697,420126,35246,993

Quick answers

What most commonly fails on a Vauxhall Astra MOT?
The most frequent specific failures in 2024 were: a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened; a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn; a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources.
Is the Vauxhall Astra reliable for its age?
Across 914,157 initial tests in 2024, it fails its MOT about 9% more often than expected for its age (MOT Risk Index 109.1, where 100 = normal for its age).
What mileage is normal for a 8-year-old Astra?
The median is about 63,058 miles; the middle half of the fleet sits between 47,378 and 81,123.
How often are dangerous defects found on the Vauxhall Astra?
About 17 dangerous defects were recorded per 100 initial tests in 2024 — with a dangerous defect the car legally cannot be driven away.

Compare with

Volkswagen Polo · 114.8MINI Hatch · 85.5Nissan Qashqai · 122.9BMW 3 Series · 75.6

Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dvsa-2024-v1, frozen baseline. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). Vauxhall Astra MOT statistics 2024 (dvsa-2024-v1). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/vauxhall-astra/ · Published 2026-07-30.