2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia passed 89.0% of its 8,885 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 10.8%, so the 2018 Giulia sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.0%) and lighting & signalling (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 336 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2018 Giulia fails 9.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.4 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.5pp more often than petrol ones (12.6% vs 10.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.0% | 536 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 336 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 200 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 68 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 61 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.6% | 57 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 336 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 303 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 164 |
| 4 | Brake discs | 63 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 60 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 45 |
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 | 21.3% | 1,888 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.8% | 1,758 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.9% | 344 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.7% | 329 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 192 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 65 |
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 | 2,825 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 4,334 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,441 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 241 | 13.3% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 9.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,902 | 10.1% |
| Diesel | 2,983 | 12.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,844 | 11.1% |
| 2022 | 1,807 | 10.5% |
| 2023 | 1,781 | 10.9% |
| 2024 | 1,738 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | 1,715 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Giulia
On a 2018 Giulia, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.0% 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 (3.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.3% 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 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulias pass their MOT?
89.0% of the 8,885 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia?
Tyres, recorded in 6.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.8%).
Does the 2018 Giulia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 9.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,885 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.