2010 Chevrolet Lacetti — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Chevrolet Lacetti passed 71.8% of its 1,597 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (23.9% fail rate), the 2010 Lacetti comes out 4.2pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (17.7%) and brakes (15.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and service brake performance — position lamp alone was recorded 134 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.8% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 39.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.7% | 283 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.2% | 243 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.1% | 161 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.7% | 123 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.2% | 83 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.6% | 74 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 134 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 100 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 98 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 90 |
| 5 | Wipers | 85 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 81 |
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 | 39.5% | 630 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 29.3% | 468 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.9% | 445 |
| 4 | Suspension | 23.5% | 376 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.1% | 193 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 164 |
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 | 100 | 17.0% |
| 30-60k | 444 | 20.3% |
| 60-90k | 663 | 30.9% |
| 90-120k | 294 | 35.4% |
| 120-150k | 50 | 36.0% |
| 150k+ | 46 | 34.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 410 | 25.6% |
| 2022 | 379 | 29.0% |
| 2023 | 332 | 30.1% |
| 2024 | 266 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 210 | 27.1% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Lacetti
On a 2010 Lacetti, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (17.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (15.2% 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.
- Suspension (10.1% 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.
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 Lacettis pass their MOT?
71.8% of the 1,597 2010 Chevrolet Lacetti MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Chevrolet Lacetti?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.7% of tests, followed by brakes (15.2%).
Does the 2010 Lacetti get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.0% in the 0-30k band to 34.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,597 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.