1,707 tests in 2025
Chevrolet Kalos reliability and MOT pass rate
55.7% passed first time. The 44.3% fail rate is 21.7 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 18 years old with 64,032 miles.
Pass rate
55.7%
22.6% of all cars failed; 44.3% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
64,032 mi
18 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 | 1,707 | 44.3% |
What the Kalos 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.
- Suspension38 dangerous53%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment10 dangerous45.1%
- Brakes57 dangerous41.3%
- Body, chassis, structure10 dangerous24.6%
- Steering4 dangerous20.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks18%
- Visibility16.8%
- Tyres132 dangerous16.5%
Is the Kalos getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.8 points to 44.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.4 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,907 | 15 | 45.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 3,200 | 16 | 44.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,093 | 17 | 45% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,707 | 18 | 44.3% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Kalos 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 Kalos in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn139 tests
- 2Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength119 tests
- 3Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play104 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working101 tests
- 5Service brake performance: excessively binding96 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect91 tests
- 7Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault78 tests
- 8Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction70 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Kalos collects 3.57 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.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn382 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine367 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure296 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded286 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm281 tests
- 6Registration plates: inscription illegible169 tests
- 7Service brake performance: excessively binding163 tests
- 8Headlamp: has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced158 tests
Questions
What is the Chevrolet Kalos MOT pass rate?
55.7% of the 1,707 Chevrolet Kalos first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 44.3% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Chevrolet Kalos usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 139 failed tests, followed by "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" and "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play". By section, suspension appears in 53% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 45.1% of failures, brakes appears in 41.3% 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 44.3%. The median Chevrolet Kalos tested in 2025 was 18 years old with 64,032 miles.
Is the Chevrolet Kalos getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.8 points to 44.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.4 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 Kalos trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Chevrolet models
Checking a particular Kalos?
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.