2012 Chevrolet Aveo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 10,019 MOT tests, the 2012 Chevrolet Aveo recorded a 72.0% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail 22.5% of the time, so this is 5.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 20.0% of tests against 12.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and ball joint dust cover — coil spring alone was recorded 1,025 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 35.2% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 27.3% fail against 29.9% for diesel, a 2.6-point gap across 10,019 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 20.0% | 2,008 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.9% | 1,296 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.2% | 524 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 511 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.7% | 475 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 445 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 1,025 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 629 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 616 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 477 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 412 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 371 |
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 | 29.7% | 2,976 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.2% | 2,827 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 15.0% | 1,499 |
| 4 | Brakes | 13.0% | 1,306 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.8% | 1,280 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.3% | 1,234 |
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 | 624 | 15.4% |
| 30-60k | 3,196 | 24.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,908 | 29.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,680 | 32.0% |
| 120-150k | 472 | 33.5% |
| 150k+ | 125 | 35.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,268 | 27.3% |
| Diesel | 2,751 | 29.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,194 | 26.6% |
| 2022 | 2,169 | 27.5% |
| 2023 | 2,083 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 1,902 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 1,671 | 28.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Aveo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 20.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (20.0% 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 (12.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.2% 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 2012 Chevrolet Aveos pass their MOT?
72.0% of the 10,019 2012 Chevrolet Aveo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Chevrolet Aveo?
Suspension, recorded in 20.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.9%).
Does the 2012 Aveo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.4% in the 0-30k band to 35.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,019 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.