2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta — MOT failures & pass rate
35,500 MOT tests on the 2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta are in this dataset, and 73.3% of them passed. That is 3.9 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.4%) 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 side repeaters, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — side repeaters alone was recorded 1,823 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.4% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.8pp more often than petrol ones (28.0% vs 24.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 5,108 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.3% | 4,383 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.6% | 2,700 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.3% | 2,230 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 1,598 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,352 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Side repeaters | 1,823 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 1,790 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,782 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,616 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,577 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 1,554 |
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 | 30.8% | 10,947 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.2% | 10,715 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.3% | 8,610 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 3,846 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.6% | 3,071 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.2% | 2,896 |
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 | 195 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,669 | 18.4% |
| 60-90k | 9,918 | 24.5% |
| 90-120k | 12,531 | 28.0% |
| 120-150k | 7,123 | 29.3% |
| 150k+ | 3,056 | 30.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 23,298 | 28.0% |
| Petrol | 12,202 | 24.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,764 | 24.2% |
| 2022 | 7,618 | 25.6% |
| 2023 | 7,312 | 27.0% |
| 2024 | 6,765 | 27.9% |
| 2025 | 6,041 | 29.4% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Giulietta
On a 2011 Giulietta, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.4% 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 (7.6% 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 2011 Alfa Romeo Giuliettas pass their MOT?
73.3% of the 35,500 2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.4% of tests, followed by suspension (12.3%).
Does the 2011 Giulietta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.2% in the 0-30k band to 30.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,500 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.