2012 Vauxhall Agila — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Vauxhall Agila passed 79.4% of its 25,134 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as city cars of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests against 8.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, wipers and individual direction indicators — ball joint alone was recorded 1,477 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.2% in the 0-30k band and 34.0% in the 150k+ band, a 22.8-point spread — more than double.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 29.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.8% | 2,952 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 2,127 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.0% | 2,015 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.6% | 1,397 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.3% | 839 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 269 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 1,477 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,139 |
| 3 | Individual direction indicators | 1,014 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 987 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 952 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 678 |
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 | 29.2% | 7,345 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.3% | 6,611 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.2% | 5,066 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 2,243 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.4% | 1,873 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.5% | 1,127 |
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 | 4,380 | 11.2% |
| 30-60k | 11,228 | 18.8% |
| 60-90k | 6,633 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,230 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 510 | 32.9% |
| 150k+ | 150 | 34.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,898 | 16.7% |
| 2022 | 5,051 | 19.3% |
| 2023 | 5,072 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 5,074 | 21.9% |
| 2025 | 5,039 | 24.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Agila
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.8% 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 (8.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.0% 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
How many 2012 Vauxhall Agilas pass their MOT?
79.4% of the 25,134 2012 Vauxhall Agila MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Vauxhall Agila?
Suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.5%).
Does the 2012 Agila get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.2% in the 0-30k band to 34.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,134 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.