2020 Alfa Romeo Giulietta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulietta passed 89.3% of its 957 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.7 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.8%) and lighting & signalling (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, headlamp aim and malfunction indicator lamp — washers alone was recorded 29 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.8% once past 60-90k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.5% of tests failed in 2023 against 14.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 46 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 33 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.2% | 31 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 19 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 14 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.5% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 29 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 12 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 12 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 9 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 7 |
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 | 23.2% | 222 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.1% | 87 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.2% | 31 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.1% | 30 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 13 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 9 |
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 | 518 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 367 | 15.0% |
| 60-90k | 58 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 565 | 12.7% |
| Petrol | 392 | 7.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 307 | 8.5% |
| 2024 | 298 | 9.4% |
| 2025 | 330 | 14.2% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Giulietta
On a 2020 Giulietta, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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 2020 Alfa Romeo Giuliettas pass their MOT?
89.3% of the 957 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulietta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulietta?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.5%).
Does the 2020 Giulietta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 13.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 957 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.