2001 Vauxhall Agila — MOT failures & pass rate
5,014 MOT tests on the 2001 Vauxhall Agila are in this dataset, and 73.8% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail 28.7% of the time, so this is 2.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.3% of tests against 11.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, registration plate lamp(s) and wipers — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 389 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.6% versus 19.8%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 45.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 24.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.3% | 766 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.2% | 562 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.9% | 546 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.4% | 370 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.9% | 295 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.6% | 230 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 389 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 275 |
| 3 | Wipers | 275 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 267 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 248 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 157 |
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 | 45.6% | 2,287 |
| 2 | Suspension | 33.1% | 1,660 |
| 3 | Tyres | 32.1% | 1,610 |
| 4 | Other defects | 31.3% | 1,567 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.2% | 761 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.6% | 483 |
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 | 172 | 19.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,182 | 22.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,925 | 25.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,296 | 29.6% |
| 120-150k | 301 | 31.2% |
| 150k+ | 110 | 33.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,485 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 1,229 | 27.4% |
| 2023 | 946 | 26.1% |
| 2024 | 777 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 577 | 26.3% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Agila
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.2% 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 (10.9% 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 2001 Vauxhall Agilas pass their MOT?
73.8% of the 5,014 2001 Vauxhall Agila MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Vauxhall Agila?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.3% of tests, followed by brakes (11.2%).
Does the 2001 Agila get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.8% in the 0-30k band to 33.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,014 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.