2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 16,503 MOT tests, the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta recorded an 84.3% pass rate. That is 2.0 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 13.7%. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.8%) and suspension (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, tread depth and coil spring — washers alone was recorded 440 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.3% versus 8.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.2% fail against 17.6% for diesel, a 3.4-point gap across 16,503 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.8% | 1,117 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.5% | 744 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 710 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.3% | 550 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 532 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 331 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 440 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 432 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 385 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 373 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 328 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 289 |
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 | 26.6% | 4,396 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 3,142 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.3% | 2,028 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 1,012 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 455 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 452 |
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 | 2,093 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 7,738 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 4,850 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,441 | 20.4% |
| 120-150k | 312 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 69 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,406 | 14.2% |
| Diesel | 7,097 | 17.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,215 | 12.5% |
| 2022 | 3,241 | 13.4% |
| 2023 | 3,338 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 3,332 | 17.0% |
| 2025 | 3,377 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Giulietta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.8% 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.
- Suspension (4.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 Giuliettas pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 16,503 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta?
Tyres, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by suspension (4.5%).
Does the 2016 Giulietta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 20.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,503 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.