2018 Vauxhall Astra — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 169,021 MOT tests, the 2018 Vauxhall Astra recorded an 88.8% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 10.4%, so the 2018 Astra sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.2%) and lighting & signalling (4.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 6,127 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.3% versus 6.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.9pp more often than petrol ones (13.4% vs 10.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.2% | 8,846 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 8,129 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.5% | 5,997 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 3,686 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 2,221 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 1,119 |
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 | 6,127 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,981 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,289 |
| 4 | Washers | 2,862 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 2,522 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 2,045 |
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 | 22.8% | 38,575 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 32,081 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 12,269 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 3,688 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 3,256 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 2,165 |
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 | 54,833 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 78,931 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 26,273 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 6,303 | 16.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,900 | 17.4% |
| 150k+ | 759 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 131,294 | 10.5% |
| Diesel | 37,724 | 13.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,196 | 8.3% |
| 2022 | 33,770 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 33,841 | 11.4% |
| 2024 | 34,278 | 12.9% |
| 2025 | 33,936 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Astra
On a 2018 Astra, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.2% 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 (4.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.5% 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 2018 Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT?
88.8% of the 169,021 2018 Vauxhall Astra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Vauxhall Astra?
Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.8%).
Does the 2018 Astra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 169,021 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.