2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta passed 77.8% of its 19,596 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 19.4% of the time, so this is 2.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.8%) and suspension (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp and coil spring — tread depth alone was recorded 894 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.4% in the 0-30k band and 27.8% in the 150k+ band, a 17.4-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (24.0% vs 20.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 29.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 20.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 2,127 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.5% | 1,669 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.5% | 1,466 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.6% | 906 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 720 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 505 |
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 | 894 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 848 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 841 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 790 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 652 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 618 |
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 | 29.2% | 5,730 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.1% | 4,712 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.9% | 4,099 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.4% | 1,460 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 1,232 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 853 |
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 | 453 | 10.4% |
| 30-60k | 4,257 | 16.4% |
| 60-90k | 7,709 | 22.7% |
| 90-120k | 4,916 | 25.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,776 | 26.7% |
| 150k+ | 482 | 27.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,280 | 24.0% |
| Petrol | 9,316 | 20.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,988 | 20.3% |
| 2022 | 4,001 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 3,965 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 3,877 | 23.1% |
| 2025 | 3,765 | 24.2% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Giulietta
On a 2013 Giulietta, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.5% 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 (7.5% 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 2013 Alfa Romeo Giuliettas pass their MOT?
77.8% of the 19,596 2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by suspension (8.5%).
Does the 2013 Giulietta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.4% in the 0-30k band to 27.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,596 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.