2013 Vauxhall Antara — MOT failures & pass rate
45,578 MOT tests on the 2013 Vauxhall Antara are in this dataset, and 74.9% of them passed. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (20.1% fail rate), the 2013 Antara comes out 5.0pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.9% of tests against 9.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and pins and bushes — position lamp alone was recorded 4,404 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.6% versus 12.9%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.9% | 9,510 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.3% | 4,251 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.7% | 3,525 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.7% | 2,591 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 2,011 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 1,501 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 4,404 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 3,508 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 2,833 |
| 4 | Reversing lamps | 1,922 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,918 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,731 |
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 | 28.7% | 13,078 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.0% | 12,777 |
| 3 | Suspension | 23.9% | 10,906 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 20.8% | 9,498 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 12.2% | 5,536 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.0% | 4,997 |
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 | 604 | 12.9% |
| 30-60k | 9,688 | 20.2% |
| 60-90k | 20,819 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 11,205 | 28.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,723 | 28.5% |
| 150k+ | 518 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 45,085 | 25.1% |
| Petrol | 493 | 21.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,681 | 22.2% |
| 2022 | 9,594 | 23.8% |
| 2023 | 9,380 | 25.5% |
| 2024 | 8,811 | 26.7% |
| 2025 | 8,112 | 27.9% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Antara
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 20.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (20.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.3% 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 (7.7% 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 Antaras pass their MOT?
74.9% of the 45,578 2013 Vauxhall Antara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Vauxhall Antara?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.9% of tests, followed by suspension (9.3%).
Does the 2013 Antara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.9% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 45,578 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.