Alfa Romeo Stelvio MOT pass rate & common failures
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio appears in 13,378 MOT tests spanning model years 2017–2023, and 90.5% of them passed. That is effectively the same as mid-size SUVs of a similar age (9.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.0%) and brakes (3.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 411 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.1% in the 0-30k band and 15.6% in the 120-150k band, a 8.5-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.9pp more often than petrol ones (11.2% vs 8.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 22.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Stelvio model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,151 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 5,858 | 89.5% | 10.4% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 5,011 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 1,014 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Brakes |
| 2021 | 256 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 87 | 97.7% | 2.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.0% | 530 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.0% | 396 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 322 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.3% | 169 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 117 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 79 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.4% | 48 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 37 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 411 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 397 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 209 |
| 4 | Washers | 147 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 100 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 94 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 75 |
| 8 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 59 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 22.1% | 2,955 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.1% | 2,558 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.5% | 600 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 426 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.0% | 271 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 230 |
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 | 4,535 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 6,599 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,918 | 12.7% |
| 90-120k | 263 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 45 | 15.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,726 | 8.3% |
| Diesel | 5,652 | 11.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,443 | 9.4% |
| 2022 | 2,731 | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 2,992 | 9.3% |
| 2024 | 3,078 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 3,134 | 10.2% |
What to check before buying a Alfa Romeo Stelvio
- Tyres (4.0% 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.
- Brakes (3.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (2.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio?
90.5% of the 13,378 Alfa Romeo Stelvio MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.5% fail rate, across model years 2017–2023.
What does the Alfa Romeo Stelvio most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.0% of tests, then brakes (3.0%).
How much does mileage affect Stelvio MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 15.6% for 120-150k, a 8.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Stelvio more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 8.3% of the time against 11.2% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,378 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.