2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia passed 86.2% of its 888 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail 12.7% of the time, so this is 1.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.3%) and lighting & signalling (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 35 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2016 Giulia fails 11.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 13.3% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.3% | 65 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 48 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.7% | 24 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 16 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 11 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 35 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 34 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 16 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 10 |
| 6 | Wipers | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.2% | 233 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.8% | 176 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.2% | 37 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 19 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 12 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.2% | 11 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 137 | 11.7% |
| 30-60k | 421 | 15.2% |
| 60-90k | 263 | 13.3% |
| 90-120k | 60 | 13.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 587 | 15.8% |
| Petrol | 301 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 177 | 13.6% |
| 2022 | 187 | 17.6% |
| 2023 | 184 | 10.9% |
| 2024 | 171 | 14.0% |
| 2025 | 169 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Giulia
On a 2016 Giulia, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulias pass their MOT?
86.2% of the 888 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia?
Tyres, recorded in 7.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.4%).
Does the 2016 Giulia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.7% in the 0-30k band to 13.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 888 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.