1,373 tests in 2025
Alfa Romeo 147 reliability and MOT pass rate
65.3% passed first time. The 34.7% fail rate is 12.1 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 19 years old with 93,220 miles.
Pass rate
65.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
93,220 mi
19 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,373 | 34.7% |
What the 147 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension18 dangerous44.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment10 dangerous33.4%
- Brakes48 dangerous33%
- Body, chassis, structure6 dangerous26.9%
- Visibility1 dangerous22.5%
- Tyres105 dangerous17.6%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous15.5%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems13%
Is the 147 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 3.6 points to 34.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,003 | 16 | 38.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,376 | 17 | 37.4% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,653 | 18 | 37.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,373 | 19 | 34.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 147 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 147 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn82 tests
- 2Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements66 tests
- 3Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength46 tests
- 4Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt46 tests
- 5Washers: not working43 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect41 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn39 tests
- 8Position lamp: not working35 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 147 collects 3.51 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm234 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened210 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine181 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn171 tests
- 5Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened121 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure117 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases105 tests
- 8Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened91 tests
Questions
What is the Alfa Romeo 147 MOT pass rate?
65.3% of the 1,373 Alfa Romeo 147 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Alfa Romeo 147 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 82 failed tests, followed by "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements" and "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength". By section, suspension appears in 44.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 33.4% of failures, brakes appears in 33% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 34.7%. The median Alfa Romeo 147 tested in 2025 was 19 years old with 93,220 miles.
Is the Alfa Romeo 147 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 3.6 points to 34.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 147 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 8 safety recalls naming the Alfa Romeo 147: Alfa Romeo 147 recalls.
Other Alfa Romeo models
Checking a particular 147?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.