96,110 tests in 2025
Vauxhall Combo reliability and MOT pass rate
70.8% passed first time. The 29.2% fail rate is 6.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 80,202 miles.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. The electric version has its own page: Vauxhall Combo Electric.
Pass rate
70.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 29.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
80,202 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 28,747 | 17.9% |
| 6-9 years | 24,924 | 24% |
| 10-13 years | 13,601 | 36.7% |
| 14+ years | 28,692 | 41.4% |
What the Combo 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.
- Suspension798 dangerous44.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment207 dangerous39.1%
- Brakes3,875 dangerous29.7%
- Tyres7,726 dangerous25.8%
- Visibility33 dangerous20.9%
- Body, chassis, structure278 dangerous18.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks106 dangerous14.9%
- Steering318 dangerous10.9%
Is the Combo getting worse?
The fail rate fell 4.2 points to 29.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 101,191 | 11 | 34.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 105,293 | — | 33% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 91,924 | — | 31.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 90,611 | — | 29.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Combo 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 Combo in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken4,398 tests
- 2Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2,961 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,829 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2,295 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed2,143 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2,092 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2,079 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,031 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Combo collects 2.99 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 1.6mm20,488 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine9,714 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8,977 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded7,412 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6,858 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure6,098 tests
- 7Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak5,660 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened5,509 tests
Questions
What is the Vauxhall Combo MOT pass rate?
70.8% of the 96,110 Vauxhall Combo first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 29.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Vauxhall Combo usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 4,398 failed tests, followed by "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, suspension appears in 44.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 39.1% of failures, brakes appears in 29.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 17.9%; at 14+ years it was 41.4%. The median Vauxhall Combo tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 80,202 miles.
Is the Vauxhall Combo getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 4.2 points to 29.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
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 Combo 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 34 safety recalls naming the Vauxhall Combo: Vauxhall Combo recalls.
Other Vauxhall models
Checking a particular Combo?
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.