7,498 tests in 2025
Chevrolet Matiz reliability and MOT pass rate
58.5% passed first time. The 41.5% fail rate is 18.9 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 17 years old with 53,791 miles.
Pass rate
58.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 41.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
53,791 mi
17 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 7,497 | 41.5% |
What the Matiz 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.
- Suspension132 dangerous50.9%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment39 dangerous41.9%
- Brakes363 dangerous39%
- Body, chassis, structure31 dangerous24.3%
- Tyres817 dangerous21.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous16.2%
- Visibility1 dangerous15.7%
- Steering5 dangerous9.2%
Is the Matiz getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.3 points to 41.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 3.3 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,880 | 14 | 40.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 12,059 | 15 | 40.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 8,650 | 16 | 42% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 7,497 | 17 | 41.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Matiz 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 Matiz in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn481 tests
- 2Position lamp: not working387 tests
- 3Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength342 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm342 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively319 tests
- 6Service brake imbalance: across an axle316 tests
- 7Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect262 tests
- 8Service brake performance: excessively binding255 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Matiz collects 3.54 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,553 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,414 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,013 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn998 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure907 tests
- 6Wheel bearings: has excessive play627 tests
- 7Registration plates: inscription illegible588 tests
- 8Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened567 tests
Questions
What is the Chevrolet Matiz MOT pass rate?
58.5% of the 7,498 Chevrolet Matiz first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 41.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Chevrolet Matiz usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 481 failed tests, followed by "Position lamp: not working" and "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength". By section, suspension appears in 50.9% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 41.9% of failures, brakes appears in 39% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 100%; at 14+ years it was 41.5%. The median Chevrolet Matiz tested in 2025 was 17 years old with 53,791 miles.
Is the Chevrolet Matiz getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.3 points to 41.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 3.3 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 Matiz 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 Chevrolet Matiz: Chevrolet Matiz recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
Checking a particular Matiz?
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.