2013 Vauxhall Agila — MOT failures & pass rate
21,137 MOT tests on the 2013 Vauxhall Agila are in this dataset, and 82.1% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail 19.2% of the time, so this is 1.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 10.1% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, wipers and coil spring — ball joint alone was recorded 1,099 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.1% in the 0-30k band and 28.6% in the 150k+ band, a 19.5-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.1% | 2,133 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 1,432 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.6% | 1,398 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.6% | 967 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.1% | 660 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 181 |
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 | 1,099 |
| 2 | Wipers | 946 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 764 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 638 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 577 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 458 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.0% | 5,288 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.7% | 5,003 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.6% | 3,298 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.6% | 1,385 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 1,118 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.0% | 837 |
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 | 5,150 | 9.1% |
| 30-60k | 9,532 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 4,723 | 25.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,406 | 28.9% |
| 120-150k | 273 | 26.4% |
| 150k+ | 49 | 28.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,102 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 4,184 | 15.9% |
| 2023 | 4,300 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 4,246 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 4,305 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Agila
On a 2013 Agila, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.1% 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 (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.6% 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 2013 Vauxhall Agilas pass their MOT?
82.1% of the 21,137 2013 Vauxhall Agila MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Vauxhall Agila?
Suspension, recorded in 10.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.8%).
Does the 2013 Agila get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.1% in the 0-30k band to 28.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 21,137 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.