30,407 tests in 2025
Vauxhall Agila reliability and MOT pass rate
66.8% passed first time. The 33.2% fail rate is 10.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 15 years old with 62,634 miles.
Pass rate
66.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 33.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
62,634 mi
15 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 10,147 | 27.2% |
| 14+ years | 20,259 | 36.1% |
What the Agila 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.
- Suspension338 dangerous59.1%
- Brakes941 dangerous38.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment39 dangerous26.7%
- Tyres1,905 dangerous17%
- Visibility4 dangerous15.2%
- Body, chassis, structure53 dangerous10.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks11 dangerous7.9%
- Steering14 dangerous4.3%
Is the Agila getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3.9 points to 33.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.3 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 39,619 | 12 | 29.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 37,699 | 13 | 31% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 30,267 | 14 | 32.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 30,402 | 15 | 33.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Agila 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 Agila in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn1,879 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken1,788 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded969 tests
- 4Service brake performance: excessively binding965 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively948 tests
- 6Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements918 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn786 tests
- 8Position lamp: not working696 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Agila 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded6,965 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4,607 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure4,489 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4,059 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened2,311 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,618 tests
- 7Service brake performance: excessively binding1,534 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened1,498 tests
Questions
What is the Vauxhall Agila MOT pass rate?
66.8% of the 30,407 Vauxhall Agila first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 33.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Vauxhall Agila usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 1,879 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded". By section, suspension appears in 59.1% of failures, brakes appears in 38.4% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 26.7% 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 36.1%. The median Vauxhall Agila tested in 2025 was 15 years old with 62,634 miles.
Is the Vauxhall Agila getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3.9 points to 33.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.3 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 Agila 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 Vauxhall Agila: Vauxhall Agila recalls.
Other Vauxhall models
- Corsa 28.5%
- Astra 27.6%
- Crossland 12.9%
- Grandland 13.3%
- Adam 29.5%
- Viva 17%
- Vectra 37.6%
- Antara 37.8%
- Corsa Electric 18.2%
- Mokka Electric 10.5%
Checking a particular Agila?
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.