2010 Chevrolet Cruze — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Chevrolet Cruze passed 73.9% of its 4,624 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (23.9% fail rate), the 2010 Cruze comes out 2.2pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (12.6%) and lighting & signalling (12.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 254 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 17.0% in the 0-30k band and 31.6% in the 150k+ band, a 14.7-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 25.4% fail against 27.7% for diesel, a 2.2-point gap across 4,624 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.6% | 583 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 582 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.7% | 450 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 299 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.7% | 263 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 259 |
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 | 254 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 233 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 228 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 211 |
| 5 | Wipers | 182 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 168 |
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 | 27.9% | 1,289 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.8% | 1,193 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.0% | 1,156 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 919 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.2% | 748 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.0% | 648 |
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 | 106 | 17.0% |
| 30-60k | 806 | 23.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,776 | 24.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,262 | 29.2% |
| 120-150k | 448 | 26.1% |
| 150k+ | 218 | 31.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,269 | 25.4% |
| Diesel | 1,355 | 27.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,238 | 26.6% |
| 2022 | 1,064 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 945 | 26.9% |
| 2024 | 782 | 26.2% |
| 2025 | 595 | 25.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Cruze
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 12.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (12.6% 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 (12.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.7% 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.
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 2010 Chevrolet Cruzes pass their MOT?
73.9% of the 4,624 2010 Chevrolet Cruze MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Chevrolet Cruze?
Suspension, recorded in 12.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.6%).
Does the 2010 Cruze get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.0% in the 0-30k band to 31.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,624 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.