In 2025, 572,608 Vauxhall Astra cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 65% passed first time, compared with 67% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Astra about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 155 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 4 years old, 86% of Astras passed first time (all cars that age: 87%). By 20 years, that figure is 54% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 19 years (5 points behind).
Vauxhall Astra All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Astra passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 1,618 | 86% | 87% | 34,883 |
| 5 years | 2,430 | 84% | 86% | 33,904 |
| 6 years | 20,877 | 83% | 84% | 48,971 |
| 7 years | 29,839 | 80% | 81% | 58,864 |
| 8 years | 45,636 | 78% | 78% | 67,312 |
| 9 years | 55,196 | 73% | 75% | 72,994 |
| 10 years | 45,810 | 67% | 72% | 79,918 |
| 11 years | 49,990 | 66% | 69% | 87,821 |
| 12 years | 54,225 | 65% | 66% | 95,648 |
| 13 years | 46,090 | 64% | 63% | 101,380 |
| 14 years | 38,916 | 62% | 61% | 104,191 |
| 15 years | 41,666 | 59% | 59% | 101,965 |
| 16 years | 30,700 | 55% | 58% | 102,945 |
| 17 years | 29,570 | 55% | 57% | 109,224 |
| 18 years | 28,386 | 53% | 57% | 110,950 |
| 19 years | 17,331 | 52% | 57% | 108,721 |
| 20 years | 11,285 | 54% | 58% | 106,323 |
What fails most on a Vauxhall Astra
The area that lets the Astra down most, relative to other cars, is emissions and leaks: 6.9% of tests failed on it, 1.8 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on steering.
Share of Astra tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 6.6% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 5.3% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 4.4% |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | Visibility | 3.8% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.6% |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | Brakes | 3.3% |
What to check when buying a used Astra
Based on where the Astra fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Emissions and leaks: Look for oil and coolant leaks underneath, listen for exhaust blows on a cold start, and watch for smoke when revving. Repair guide
- Brakes: Look through the wheels for lipped or scored discs, check the handbrake holds on a slope, and feel for pulling or vibration under firm braking. Repair guide
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Astra
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a AstraFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Vauxhall Astra?
In 2025, 65% of Vauxhall Astra cars passed their MOT first time, across 572,608 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 67%.
What do Vauxhall Astra cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened (6.6% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (5.3% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (4.4% of tests).
Other Vauxhall models
Vauxhall Corsa (61%), Vauxhall Mokka (66%), Vauxhall Insignia (67%), Vauxhall Zafira (62%), Vauxhall Vivaro (54%), Vauxhall Meriva (62%). All Vauxhall models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.