819,124 tests in 2025
Vauxhall Corsa reliability and MOT pass rate
71.5% passed first time. The 28.5% fail rate is 5.9 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 63,219 miles.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. The electric version has its own page: Vauxhall Corsa Electric.
Pass rate
71.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 28.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
63,219 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 100,166 | 10.9% |
| 6-9 years | 214,687 | 23.9% |
| 10-13 years | 274,696 | 32.6% |
| 14+ years | 228,251 | 35.8% |
What the Corsa 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.
- Suspension3,513 dangerous43.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment516 dangerous30.7%
- Brakes26,135 dangerous22.3%
- Tyres46,006 dangerous21.2%
- Steering548 dangerous18.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks260 dangerous15.2%
- Visibility57 dangerous14.9%
- Body, chassis, structure1,297 dangerous12.9%
Is the Corsa getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 29.4% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 944,345 | — | 27.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 933,773 | — | 28.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 777,939 | — | 28.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 783,145 | — | 29.4% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Corsa 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 Corsa in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken50,869 tests
- 2Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt26,186 tests
- 3Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction18,905 tests
- 4Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak18,380 tests
- 5Stop lamp: not working17,709 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm17,336 tests
- 7Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively14,573 tests
- 8Headlamp: not working on dipped beam13,234 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Corsa collects 2.64 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 1.6mm126,534 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure113,662 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine86,182 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened74,436 tests
- 5Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak60,126 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick48,155 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn42,910 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened40,004 tests
Questions
What is the Vauxhall Corsa MOT pass rate?
71.5% of the 819,124 Vauxhall Corsa first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 28.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Vauxhall Corsa usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 50,869 failed tests, followed by "Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" 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 30.7% of failures, brakes appears in 22.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.9%; at 14+ years it was 35.8%. The median Vauxhall Corsa tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 63,219 miles.
Is the Vauxhall Corsa getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 29.4% 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 Corsa 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 52 safety recalls naming the Vauxhall Corsa: Vauxhall Corsa recalls.
Other Vauxhall models
Checking a particular Corsa?
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.