75,454 tests in 2025
Vauxhall Meriva reliability and MOT pass rate
67.7% passed first time. The 32.3% fail rate is 9.7 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 13 years old with 73,880 miles.
Pass rate
67.7%
22.6% of all cars failed; 32.3% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
73,880 mi
13 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 10,038 | 23.5% |
| 10-13 years | 28,769 | 28.7% |
| 14+ years | 36,647 | 37.7% |
What the Meriva 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.
- Suspension380 dangerous54.3%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment121 dangerous27.7%
- Brakes3,394 dangerous26.1%
- Tyres5,643 dangerous22.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks31 dangerous15.8%
- Body, chassis, structure120 dangerous14.7%
- Visibility4 dangerous12.5%
- Steering127 dangerous9.6%
Is the Meriva getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.5 points to 32.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 109,806 | 11 | 29.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 101,057 | 12 | 31.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 79,414 | 13 | 30.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 75,448 | 13 | 32.3% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Meriva 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 Meriva in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken7,508 tests
- 2Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2,012 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,816 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,623 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,584 tests
- 6Condition: has ply or cords exposed1,542 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,541 tests
- 8Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect1,540 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Meriva collects 3.15 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 1.6mm13,365 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine12,163 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure10,583 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8,723 tests
- 5Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded7,421 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6,216 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases6,135 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened5,987 tests
Questions
What is the Vauxhall Meriva MOT pass rate?
67.7% of the 75,454 Vauxhall Meriva first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 32.3% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Vauxhall Meriva usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 7,508 failed tests, followed by "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction" and "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick". By section, suspension appears in 54.3% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 27.7% of failures, brakes appears in 26.1% 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 37.7%. The median Vauxhall Meriva tested in 2025 was 13 years old with 73,880 miles.
Is the Vauxhall Meriva getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.5 points to 32.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 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 Meriva 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 10 safety recalls naming the Vauxhall Meriva: Vauxhall Meriva recalls.
Other Vauxhall models
Checking a particular Meriva?
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.