2,651 tests in 2025
Alfa Romeo 159 reliability and MOT pass rate
61.8% passed first time. The 38.2% fail rate is 15.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 16 years old with 119,571 miles.
Pass rate
61.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 38.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
119,571 mi
16 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 78 | — |
| 14+ years | 2,573 | 38.2% |
What the 159 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.
- Suspension27 dangerous51.7%
- Brakes111 dangerous39.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment8 dangerous30.7%
- Tyres276 dangerous22%
- Body, chassis, structure26 dangerous20.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks3 dangerous19.5%
- Visibility11.3%
- Steering9 dangerous8.7%
Is the 159 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.1 points to 38.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (2.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,968 | 14 | 37.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,225 | 14 | 38.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,099 | 15 | 39.3% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,651 | 16 | 38.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 159 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 159 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements245 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken172 tests
- 3Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength137 tests
- 4Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn100 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed92 tests
- 6Position lamp: not working91 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm84 tests
- 8Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction79 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 159 collects 3.19 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 1.6mm621 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine517 tests
- 3Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened346 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened319 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn207 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick164 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn157 tests
- 8Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened149 tests
Questions
What is the Alfa Romeo 159 MOT pass rate?
61.8% of the 2,651 Alfa Romeo 159 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 38.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Alfa Romeo 159 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements", recorded on 245 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength". By section, suspension appears in 51.7% of failures, brakes appears in 39.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 30.7% 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 38.2%. The median Alfa Romeo 159 tested in 2025 was 16 years old with 119,571 miles.
Is the Alfa Romeo 159 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.1 points to 38.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (2.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 159 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 4 safety recalls naming the Alfa Romeo 159: Alfa Romeo 159 recalls.
Other Alfa Romeo models
Checking a particular 159?
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.