2016 Vauxhall Astra — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Vauxhall Astra passed 85.9% of its 326,868 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 13.7%, so the 2016 Astra sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.5%) and lighting & signalling (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tyre pressure monitoring system and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 11,772 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.2% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.8pp more often than petrol ones (15.8% vs 13.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.5% | 24,419 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 17,892 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.1% | 13,537 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 8,919 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 7,386 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 4,516 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 11,772 |
| 2 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 10,776 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 8,495 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 7,647 |
| 5 | Washers | 7,043 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 5,574 |
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 | 26.1% | 85,184 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.0% | 71,840 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.0% | 29,354 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 16,132 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.7% | 15,424 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 9,389 |
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 | 38,134 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 146,112 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 99,145 | 16.8% |
| 90-120k | 32,452 | 19.9% |
| 120-150k | 8,158 | 20.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,767 | 22.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 209,729 | 13.1% |
| Diesel | 117,139 | 15.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64,684 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 65,005 | 12.2% |
| 2023 | 65,485 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 65,661 | 15.6% |
| 2025 | 66,033 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Astra
On a 2016 Astra, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.1% 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 2016 Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 326,868 2016 Vauxhall Astra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Vauxhall Astra?
Tyres, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.5%).
Does the 2016 Astra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 326,868 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.