Does the Vauxhall Viva fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The Vauxhall Viva records 1.76 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 3.90 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.14, 95% interval −2.22 to −2.05). It ranks 397 of 701 models on suspension (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on suspension · check a Vauxhall Viva by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Vauxhall Viva is “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn”, recorded 1,569 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,569 | 0.78 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 898 | 0.45 |
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 508 | 0.25 |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 278 | 0.14 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 88 | 0.04 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 201,368 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Vauxhall Viva gets a suspension advisory, how often does it fail next time?
10.2% of Vauxhall Viva MOTs with a suspension advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 6,624 miles later (3,253 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,253 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Vauxhall Viva 2015 · Vauxhall Viva 2016 · Vauxhall Viva 2017 · Vauxhall Viva 2018 · Vauxhall Viva 2019 · Vauxhall Viva in Finland · Vauxhall Viva in the Netherlands · Vauxhall Viva by postcode area · Vauxhall Viva body, chassis and structure failures · Vauxhall Viva brakes failures · Vauxhall Viva vehicle identification failures · Vauxhall Viva lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Vauxhall Viva noise, emissions and leaks failures · Vauxhall Viva road wheels failures · Vauxhall Viva seat belts and airbags failures · Vauxhall Viva steering failures · Vauxhall Viva tyres failures · Vauxhall Viva visibility failures