4,070 tests in 2025
Chevrolet Cruze reliability and MOT pass rate
67.8% passed first time. The 32.2% fail rate is 9.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 13 years old with 84,527 miles.
Pass rate
67.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 32.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
9.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
84,527 mi
13 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 11 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2,668 | 32.2% |
| 14+ years | 1,391 | 32.2% |
What the Cruze 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.
- Suspension16 dangerous43.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous37.5%
- Brakes196 dangerous29.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous24.4%
- Tyres292 dangerous22.2%
- Visibility15.4%
- Body, chassis, structure2 dangerous13.8%
- Steering2 dangerous2.2%
Is the Cruze getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3.4 points to 32.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6,062 | 10 | 28.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 5,639 | 11 | 30.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 4,496 | 12 | 30.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 4,069 | 13 | 32.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Cruze 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 Cruze in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken347 tests
- 2Position lamp: not working197 tests
- 3Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction163 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick127 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively111 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm101 tests
- 7Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements97 tests
- 8Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases95 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Cruze collects 2.87 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.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine983 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm668 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened567 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure554 tests
- 5Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened427 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick417 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases341 tests
- 8Registration plates: inscription illegible248 tests
Questions
What is the Chevrolet Cruze MOT pass rate?
67.8% of the 4,070 Chevrolet Cruze first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 32.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 9.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Chevrolet Cruze usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 347 failed tests, followed by "Position lamp: not working" and "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction". By section, suspension appears in 43.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 37.5% of failures, brakes appears in 29.3% 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 32.2%. The median Chevrolet Cruze tested in 2025 was 13 years old with 84,527 miles.
Is the Chevrolet Cruze getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3.4 points to 32.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 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 Cruze 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 9 safety recalls naming the Chevrolet Cruze: Chevrolet Cruze recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
Checking a particular Cruze?
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.