2009 Vauxhall Agila — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Vauxhall Agila passed 72.0% of its 39,117 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 18.7% of tests against 12.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, service brake performance and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 2,870 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.5% versus 18.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 27.8% fail against 30.6% for diesel, a 2.9-point gap across 39,117 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 37.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 27.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.7% | 7,316 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.4% | 4,868 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 3,273 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.6% | 2,199 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.4% | 1,710 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 1,134 |
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 | 2,870 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 2,626 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 2,392 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,853 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,783 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,591 |
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 | 37.1% | 14,518 |
| 2 | Suspension | 33.8% | 13,238 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.2% | 11,049 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.9% | 3,887 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.9% | 2,713 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.9% | 2,691 |
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 | 3,548 | 18.5% |
| 30-60k | 14,340 | 25.3% |
| 60-90k | 13,550 | 30.3% |
| 90-120k | 5,858 | 32.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,456 | 35.1% |
| 150k+ | 360 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 36,159 | 27.8% |
| Diesel | 2,958 | 30.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,477 | 27.1% |
| 2022 | 8,207 | 27.1% |
| 2023 | 7,953 | 27.9% |
| 2024 | 7,495 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 6,985 | 29.4% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Agila
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 18.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (18.7% 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.
- Brakes (12.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2009 Vauxhall Agilas pass their MOT?
72.0% of the 39,117 2009 Vauxhall Agila MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Vauxhall Agila?
Suspension, recorded in 18.7% of tests, followed by brakes (12.4%).
Does the 2009 Agila get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.5% in the 0-30k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 39,117 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.