2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,940 MOT tests, the 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta recorded a 73.2% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (24.2% fail rate), the 2010 Giulietta comes out 2.7pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.2%) and suspension (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, component mounting prescribed areas and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 624 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 30.1% in the 150k+ band, a 21.8-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 25.5% fail against 28.3% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 11,940 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 30.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 24.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 1,576 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.3% | 1,464 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.2% | 864 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.2% | 742 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 528 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 434 |
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 | 624 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 539 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 535 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 526 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 485 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 418 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 30.2% | 3,607 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.7% | 3,545 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.3% | 2,898 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 1,393 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 1,164 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.5% | 1,009 |
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 | 84 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 993 | 19.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,360 | 25.0% |
| 90-120k | 4,215 | 27.7% |
| 120-150k | 2,271 | 30.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,010 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,120 | 25.5% |
| Diesel | 5,820 | 28.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,641 | 24.9% |
| 2022 | 2,593 | 25.4% |
| 2023 | 2,483 | 27.8% |
| 2024 | 2,247 | 27.6% |
| 2025 | 1,976 | 29.2% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Giulietta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (7.2% 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.
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 2010 Alfa Romeo Giuliettas pass their MOT?
73.2% of the 11,940 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.2% of tests, followed by suspension (12.3%).
Does the 2010 Giulietta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 30.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,940 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.