2010 Fiat Bravo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Fiat Bravo passed 71.0% of its 4,608 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.0 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.0%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 15.4% of all tests — 5.0 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, exhaust system and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 387 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.8% in the 0-30k band and 26.4% in the 150k+ band, a 15.6-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 28.9% of the time against 29.0% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 32.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 31.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.4% | 712 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 481 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 394 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.2% | 379 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 297 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.4% | 293 |
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 | 387 |
| 2 | Exhaust system | 229 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 207 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 176 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 174 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 172 |
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 | 32.9% | 1,517 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.6% | 1,409 |
| 3 | Brakes | 30.0% | 1,382 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.4% | 755 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.3% | 612 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.5% | 576 |
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 | 83 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 540 | 20.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,693 | 28.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,508 | 32.4% |
| 120-150k | 607 | 31.6% |
| 150k+ | 174 | 26.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,813 | 29.0% |
| Diesel | 1,795 | 28.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,188 | 28.4% |
| 2022 | 1,063 | 27.8% |
| 2023 | 937 | 27.9% |
| 2024 | 798 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 622 | 31.5% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Bravo
On a 2010 Bravo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.4% 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 (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.6% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Fiat Bravos pass their MOT?
71.0% of the 4,608 2010 Fiat Bravo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Fiat Bravo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.4%).
Does the 2010 Bravo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 26.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,608 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.