2012 Chevrolet Cruze — MOT failures & pass rate
10,213 MOT tests on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze are in this dataset, and 76.8% of them passed. That is 2.2 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.2% of tests against 10.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and wipers — coil spring alone was recorded 907 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.4% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 22.4% fail against 25.1% for diesel, a 2.7-point gap across 10,208 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 1,344 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.0% | 1,017 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.9% | 705 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.9% | 601 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 571 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.5% | 562 |
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 | 907 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 591 |
| 3 | Wipers | 441 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 387 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 374 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 331 |
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 | 29.3% | 2,988 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.3% | 2,486 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 19.8% | 2,017 |
| 4 | Other defects | 14.6% | 1,496 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 12.2% | 1,244 |
| 6 | Suspension | 10.8% | 1,106 |
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 | 328 | 16.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,664 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 3,983 | 23.6% |
| 90-120k | 2,228 | 26.0% |
| 120-150k | 777 | 29.1% |
| 150k+ | 230 | 27.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,312 | 22.4% |
| Diesel | 2,896 | 25.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,318 | 22.3% |
| 2022 | 2,192 | 22.1% |
| 2023 | 2,088 | 23.4% |
| 2024 | 1,934 | 24.5% |
| 2025 | 1,681 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Cruze
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.0% 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.
- Brakes (6.9% 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 2012 Chevrolet Cruzes pass their MOT?
76.8% of the 10,213 2012 Chevrolet Cruze MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.2% of tests, followed by suspension (10.0%).
Does the 2012 Cruze get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.2% in the 0-30k band to 27.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,213 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.