Daewoo Lacetti MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 2 model years and 988 tests, the Daewoo Lacetti passes its MOT 68.5% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 27.6% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.7%) and lighting & signalling (14.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, prescribed areas and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 138 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 34.2% versus 25.9%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 39.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.9% in 2021 to 30.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Lacetti model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 538 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 450 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.7% | 145 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 140 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.2% | 120 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 85 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 7.7% | 76 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 69 |
| 7 | Visibility | 6.7% | 66 |
| 8 | Tyres | 4.9% | 48 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 138 |
| 2 | Prescribed areas | 69 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 63 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 58 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 55 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 53 |
| 7 | Joints | 51 |
| 8 | Headlamp aim | 50 |
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 | 39.8% | 393 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.8% | 304 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.5% | 262 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 21.4% | 211 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 18.8% | 186 |
| 6 | Other defects | 15.8% | 156 |
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 | 54 | 25.9% |
| 30-60k | 356 | 27.0% |
| 60-90k | 382 | 34.3% |
| 90-120k | 144 | 36.8% |
| 120-150k | 41 | 34.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 365 | 32.9% |
| 2022 | 238 | 30.7% |
| 2023 | 175 | 30.3% |
| 2024 | 127 | 31.5% |
| 2025 | 83 | 30.1% |
What to check before buying a Daewoo Lacetti
- Suspension (14.7% 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 (14.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.2% 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.
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 Daewoo Lacetti?
68.5% of the 988 Daewoo Lacetti MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.5% fail rate, across model years 2004–2005.
What does the Daewoo Lacetti most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 14.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.2%).
How much does mileage affect Lacetti MOT results?
Fail rates run at 25.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.2% for 120-150k, a 8.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 988 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.