Vauxhall Corsa MOT pass rate and common problems
Vauxhall Corsas fail their MOT more often than other cars of the same age.
- Failed at the first attempt
- 37.5%failed at the first attempt in 2024
Average for cars of the same age: 31.6%
Data: DVSA MOT results · 2024 · 824,643 tests
Check a Vauxhall Corsa by registration
Vauxhall Corsa common problems: what should I check before buying?
The faults recorded most often at Vauxhall Corsa MOTs in 2019–2024, per 100 tests.
- Broken or weakened suspension spring7.54Major
What to check: Look behind each wheel at the coil springs for a snapped end, and check the car sits level from side to side.
- One number plate light out3.92Minor
What to check: Check every number plate light works with the sidelights on; a single dead bulb or LED is a cheap fix.
- Worn suspension bush or joint3.56Major
What to check: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, feel for the car wandering under braking, and ask which part was replaced.
- Tyre tread below the legal limit3.50Dangerous
What to check: Check the tread across every tyre with a gauge; wear on one edge points to a tracking fault.
- Wiper missing or not clearing the screen3.25Major
What to check: Wet the screen and run the wipers: they should clear the glass in front of the driver without streaks or juddering.
One test can record several defects, so this is not the share of Vauxhall Corsas.
Each tip applies only if the car you are looking at has that fault in its own MOT history.
Check a Vauxhall Corsa by registration
Which Vauxhall Corsa years should I avoid?
2014 is the Vauxhall Corsa year that fails its MOT most for its age; 1999 fails least.
Fails more for its age: 2005, 2013, 2014.
Fails less for its age: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2015, 2016, 2017.
Years without published figures
- 2024, 2025, 2026
These registration years do not need an MOT yet. Ask the seller for the service history.
- 2021, 2022, 2023
Our figures end in 2024, before these cars had enough MOTs to compare.
- 2020
Too few cars from these registration years have been tested to publish figures.
Year means the year the car was first registered, as DVSA records it. It may differ from the year it was built.
How does the Vauxhall Corsa compare with similar cars?
6 of 8 similar models fail less often for their age than the Vauxhall Corsa.
This is a different comparison from the one at the top. There, the Vauxhall Corsa is measured against all cars of the same age. Here, it sits among similar models. Both can be true.
| Model | MOT Risk Index |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Corsa | 118.7 |
| Ford Fiesta | 113 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 111.6 |
| MINI Hatch | 86 |
| Toyota Yaris | 89.8 |
| Renault Clio | 136.1 |
| Nissan Qashqai | 118.2 |
| Vauxhall Astra | 104.5 |
| Vauxhall Mokka | 126.3 |
How do Vauxhall Corsas hold up as they get older?
First-time MOT failures on Vauxhall Corsas go from 13.1% at age 3 to 51.1% at age 19.
| Age at MOT (years) | Vauxhall Corsa failed (%) | All cars failed (%) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 13.1 (rough estimate) | 12.4 | 84 |
| 16 | 46.7 | 43.1 | 43,313 |
| 17 | 47.4 | 43.1 | 33,231 |
| 18 | 50.5 | 43.9 | 17,315 |
| 19 | 51.1 | 43.5 | 11,874 |
Do advisories on Vauxhall Corsas turn into fails at the next MOT?
27.1% of lights and electrical advisories on Vauxhall Corsas turned into lights and electrical fails at the next MOT.
The next MOT came about 12 months later.
Based on 106,885 advisories, each followed to the car's next MOT, 2019–2024. This counts advisories, not cars.
The most common advisories on Vauxhall Corsas are for tyres: 41.61 per 100 tests.
| Advisory | Failed next time (%) | Advisories followed |
|---|---|---|
| lamps, reflectors and electrics | 27.1 | 106,885 |
| suspension | 22.4 | 680,759 |
| body, chassis and structure | 17 | 193,544 |
| steering | 16.9 | 44,088 |
| brakes | 12.9 | 700,833 |
What else should I know about a used Vauxhall Corsa?
- MOT pass rate, 2024
- 37.5% failed at the first attempt; after repairs at the test centre, 70.4% passed in the end.
- MOT tests counted
- 824,643 first tests in 2024; retests are left out
- Years first registered
- 1998 to 2019
- Fuel
- Petrol 91.6%, diesel 8.4%
- ULEZ
- 88.6% likely to meet it, judged from fuel and registration date
- Typical mileage at 8 years old
- 52,691 miles
- Recalls
- 58 campaigns listed by DVSA
Vauxhall Corsa common problems: what actually fails the MOT?
Vauxhall Corsa MOTs fail most often on ‘lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment’: 22.6 per 100 tests, against 18.1 for UK cars of the same age (2019–2024, n = 5,451,929).
| Measure | Value (per 100) | Comparison (per 100) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 22.6 | 18.1 | 1,234,301 |
| Suspension | 20.4 | 15.9 | 1,112,175 |
| Brakes | 12.6 | 11.9 | 684,511 |
| Visibility | 9.8 | 8.0 | 535,620 |
| Tyres | 8.7 | 9.2 | 475,414 |
What is likely to fail next on a used Vauxhall Corsa?
For Vauxhall Corsas aged 3 to 5 whose last MOT was a pass, the item most likely to fail at the next MOT is visibility: 5.8% failed on it (2019–2024, n = 500,852).
| Measure | Value (% next fail) |
|---|---|
| Visibility, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 5.8 |
| Suspension, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 4.8 |
| Tyres, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 3.9 |
| Steering, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 3.7 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, 3 to 5 years old, after a pass | 3.0 |
How often do Vauxhall Corsas get a dangerous MOT defect?
The Vauxhall Corsa gets a dangerous defect about as often as the UK average: 11.3 per 100 first tests against 11.2 across the UK. In the same tests, 67.1 major and 16.3 minor defects were recorded per 100 tests (one test can record several).
Severity was not recorded for some 2018–2021 tests.
| Measure | Value (per 100) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous defects | 11.3 | 5,451,929 |
Comparison: 11.2 per 100.
How much do Vauxhall Corsa MOT repairs cost?
Expected repair cost per Vauxhall Corsa MOT: about £95 (up to about £181 if more expensive parts are needed), from the chance of failing each item and its most common UK repair price (catalogue estimate, n = 824,643).
Computed, not measured.
| Measure | Value | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Expected repair bill | 95.1 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Estimated range lower | 95.1 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Estimated range upper | 180.7 GBP estimate | modal price catalogue |
| Suspension: Suspension coil spring (single corner) | 36.7 GBP expected contribution | 180 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: Battery replacement (standard 12V lead-acid) | 31.6 GBP expected contribution | 140 |
What mileage is normal for a used Vauxhall Corsa?
At age 8, the median Vauxhall Corsa had covered 52,691 miles by its MOT; the middle half ranged from 38,568 to 68,805 miles (2024, n = 75,698).
| Measure | Value (miles) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3 median (rough estimate) | 18388 | 84 |
| Age 3 P25 (rough estimate) | 13128 | 84 |
| Age 3 P75 (rough estimate) | 28281 | 84 |
| Age 4 median (rough estimate) | 24566 | 110 |
| Age 4 P25 (rough estimate) | 13866 | 110 |
Do high-mileage Vauxhall Corsas fail their MOT more often?
At ages 10–14, 28.0% of Vauxhall Corsas with under 40,000 miles failed first time, against 48.6% of those with over 140,000 miles (2024, n = 40,469). Inside this age group, higher mileage goes with more failures.
| Measure | Value (% failed first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3–5, <40k miles | 17.4 | 30,921 |
| Age 3–5, 40-70k miles | 22.5 | 10,299 |
| Age 3–5, 70-100k miles | 30.3 | 996 |
| Age 3–5, 100-140k miles (rough estimate: 134 tests, 95% interval 25.5–41.2%) | 32.8 | 134 |
| Age 6–9, <40k miles | 21.4 | 88,677 |
How many miles do Vauxhall Corsas last?
13.3% of Vauxhall Corsas tested had reached 100,000 miles, and 1.1% had reached 150,000 (2024, n = 720,721).
| Measure | Value (% of tested cars) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 miles | 13.3 | 720,721 |
| 150,000 miles | 1.1 | 58,426 |
| 200,000 miles | 0.1 | 4,696 |
Does mileage, as well as age, change the Vauxhall Corsa failure index?
Matched on annual mileage as well as age, the Vauxhall Corsa index is 127.7, against 120.7 on age alone (2019–2024, n = 824,643).
| Measure | Value (index) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age and mileage adjusted index | 127.7 | 824,643 |
Comparison: 120.7 index.
Which Vauxhall Corsa fuel type fails its MOT less?
Diesel Vauxhall Corsas fail first time more often than petrol ones, before allowing for age: 41.5% against 37.1%.
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 41.5 | 69,426 |
| Petrol | 37.1 | 755,164 |
Comparison: other fuels.
Which Vauxhall Corsa engine fails its MOT least?
Among engines with enough tests, the best Vauxhall Corsa engine is the petrol 1.2–1.5 litre at index 93.5, and the worst the diesel 1.5–1.8 litre at 104.4, where 100 = the model's own average (2024, n = 824,643).
| Measure | Value (index vs model norm) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol 1.8–2.0 litre (rough estimate: 306 tests, 95% interval 36.3–55.6) | 45.2 | 306 |
| Diesel under 1.0 litre (rough estimate: 261 tests, 95% interval 79.9–106.7) | 93 | 261 |
| Petrol 1.2–1.5 litre | 93.5 | 2,278,574 |
| Petrol 1.5–1.8 litre | 94.7 | 62,032 |
| Diesel 1.2–1.5 litre (rough estimate: 3,811 tests, 95% interval 99.4–107.6) | 103.5 | 3,811 |
Comparison: 100 = model average.
Where in Britain does the Vauxhall Corsa fail its MOT most?
Vauxhall Corsa fails first-time MOTs most in Dundee (DD): 46.5% against 37.3% across Britain for this model, both 2019–2024 (2019–2024, n = 33,481).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Dundee (DD) | 46.5 | 33,481 |
| Kirkcaldy (KY) | 46.2 | 49,638 |
| Llandrindod Wells (LD) | 45.8 | 3,595 |
| Bromley (BR) | 29.8 | 20,014 |
| Enfield (EN) | 30.8 | 32,532 |
Across Britain for this model: 37.3% failed first time, also in 2019–2024.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have rust problems?
Allowing for age, Vauxhall Corsa MOTs record corrosion failures at 2.0 times the national rate: 1.52% of tests against 0.77% (2024 + geographic layers, n = 820,549).
Computed, not measured.
| Measure | Value (ratio estimate) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Salt belt susceptibility | 2.0 | 820,549 |
Comparison: 1 ratio estimate.
What do six years of MOTs show about owning a used Vauxhall Corsa?
Of failed Vauxhall Corsa MOTs, 48.7% were retested the same day and a further 48.7% within 10 days; the median failed car passed its retest after 1 day (2019–2024, n = 1,442,428).
| Measure | Value | Comparison | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same-day retest | 48.7 % | failed initial tests | 1,442,428 |
| Retest within 10 days | 48.7 % | failed initial tests | 1,442,428 |
| Clean MOT streak | 33.7 % | observed chains | 986,340 |
| Repeat advisory | 31.7 % | observed chains | 986,340 |
| Decreasing odometer | 0.8 % mileage anomaly | observed chains | 1,058,763 |
Is low mileage good for a used Vauxhall Corsa?
Vauxhall Corsas aged 5 to 14 doing under 5,000 miles a year failed first time in 28.3% of tests, against 41.8% for those doing 8,000 to 12,000 miles (2019–2024, n = 1,053,689).
| Measure | Value | Comparison | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-use first-time failure | 28.3 % | 41.8 | 1,053,689 |
| Low-use gap | -13.5 percentage points | 8–12k miles | 1,053,689 |
How many years do Vauxhall Corsas last?
Vauxhall Corsas tend to last: at ten years old the typical one has about 6.2 more years of MOTs ahead, more than the median model. This is a forecast from the survival curve and may not come true.
Computed, not measured.
Forecast, not a prediction for a particular car.
| Measure | Value (years forecast) |
|---|---|
| Age 5 | 11.2 |
| Age 8 | 8.2 |
| Age 10 | 6.2 |
| Age 12 | 4.2 |
| Age 15 (at least; observed only until age 19) | 2.5 |
How many Vauxhall Corsas are still on the road as they age?
In 2024, for every 100 Vauxhall Corsas tested at ages 4 to 6, about 17 were tested at age 19 (2024, n = 62,599).
| Measure | Value (% of age 4–6 baseline) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3 | 65.5 | 241,112 |
| Age 4 | 85.9 | 316,237 |
| Age 5 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 394,170 |
| Age 6 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 393,390 |
| Age 7 (at least as many as at ages 4–6) | 100 | 422,450 |
If a used Vauxhall Corsa fails its MOT, will it fail the next one?
40.8% of Vauxhall Corsas that failed an MOT failed the next one too, against 32.1% after a pass (2019–2024, n = 429,518). The failure most likely to come back is speedometer and speed limiter: 42.9% of those fails recurred at the next MOT.
| Measure | Value (%) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat after fail | 40.8 | 429,518 |
Comparison: 32.1 %.
Which Vauxhall Corsa faults tend to come together?
On Vauxhall Corsas, identification of the vehicle and road Wheels failures turn up together 5.8 times as often as chance would predict (2024, n = 204).
| Measure | Value (lift) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Identification of the vehicle + Road Wheels (rough estimate: 204 tests, 95% interval 5.0–6.6) | 5.8 | 204 |
| Road Wheels + Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems (rough estimate: 440 tests, 95% interval 5.0–6.1) | 5.6 | 440 |
| Body, chassis, structure + Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.4 | 74,898 |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems + Speedometer and speed limiter (rough estimate: 27 tests, 95% interval 3.4–7.4) | 5.1 | 27 |
| Identification of the vehicle + Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4.9 | 688 |
Comparison: expected joint rate.
Vauxhall Corsa safety recalls: how do I check this car?
DVSA lists 58 safety recall campaigns matched to the Vauxhall Corsa; check whether yours has been fixed, using its registration number.
| Measure | Value (campaigns) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| DVSA recall campaigns matched | 58 | 824,643 |
Comparison: DVSA register.
How many Vauxhall Corsas fail the MOT at each age?
Of every 100 Vauxhall Corsas tested at age 5, about 19 failed the MOT first time; at age 10, about 42. These are one-year rates for different cars tested in the same year, not a fleet followed over time; the steepest one-year step in this cross-section is between cars aged 9 and 10, 8.22 percentage points (2024).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Age 4 (rough estimate: 110 tests, 95% interval 15.1–30.4%) | 21.8 | 110 |
| Age 5 | 19.1 | 42,179 |
| Age 6 | 21.9 | 52,811 |
| Age 7 | 26.2 | 52,035 |
| Age 8 | 29.6 | 75,698 |
Do Vauxhall Corsas fail their MOT more in some months?
Vauxhall Corsas fail first time most in January (38.9%, against 31.1% for all cars that month) and least in March (35.3%) (2024, n = 824,643).
| Measure | Value (% fail first time) | Comparison (% fail first time) | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38.9 | 31.1 | 490,630 |
| February | 37.8 | 30.0 | 459,734 |
| March | 35.3 | 28.3 | 595,224 |
| April | 38.5 | 29.8 | 291,808 |
| May | 36.8 | 28.8 | 335,108 |
How far is real-world MPG from the lab figure for Vauxhall cars?
Real-world fuel use of 2021 diesel cars from Opel Automobile is 18.4% above the official WLTP figure: 5.83 against 4.93 litres per 100 km (2021+ cohorts, n = 6,721 vehicles).
Computed, not measured.
| Measure | Value (% real-world vs official) | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Opel Automobile 2021 diesel | 18.4 | 6,721 |
| Opel Automobile 2021 petrol | 16.6 | 5,889 |
| Opel Automobile 2021 petrol/electric | 305.1 | 3,316 |
| Opel Automobile 2022 diesel | 16.9 | 4,096 |
| Opel Automobile 2022 petrol | 15.9 | 5,191 |
Plug-in hybrids: the lab figure assumes the battery is charged often; on the road many are driven mostly on petrol, so the gap is several times larger.
Comparison: 0% gap.
European Commission OBFCM; covers 19 of 761 models.
What DVSA defect categories mean
- Dangerous: the car should not be driven until it is repaired.
- Major: the car fails the MOT.
- Minor: recorded, but the car still passes.
- Advisory: noted by the tester to keep an eye on; the car still passes.
How are these figures calculated?
We count first MOT tests only; retests after repairs are left out. Each model is compared with cars of the same age.
Which Vauxhall Corsa figures are missing, and why?
We have not worked this out for the Vauxhall Corsa yet.
- What have dealers been told about the Vauxhall Corsa? (US market)
- What do owners complain about? (US market)
Cite this page or report an error
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 24 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/vauxhall-corsa/
How the MOT Risk Index and every figure on this page are calculated: methodology.
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More on the Vauxhall Corsa
- Overview:
- Model overview · All Vauxhall models
- Build years:
- 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
- What fails:
- body · brakes · plates · lights · emissions · wheels · seat belts · steering · suspension · tyres · visibility
- Abroad:
- Finland · the Netherlands · Norway
- By area:
- Postcode areas
- Compare:
- Ford Fiesta · Volkswagen Polo · MINI Hatch · Toyota Yaris · Renault Clio