2019 Vauxhall Astra — MOT failures & pass rate
95,868 MOT tests on the 2019 Vauxhall Astra are in this dataset, and 89.8% of them passed. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (9.6% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and lighting & signalling (4.3%) 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 washers — brake pads alone was recorded 3,461 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.6% once past 150k — 3.0× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.8% fail against 12.5% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 95,868 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 4,353 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 4,093 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.4% | 3,288 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 1,836 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 1,127 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 472 |
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 | 3,461 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,935 |
| 3 | Washers | 1,411 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 1,278 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,199 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,127 |
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 | 20.7% | 19,887 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.5% | 16,777 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.2% | 5,962 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 1,625 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 1,613 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 1,284 |
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 | 41,124 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 41,172 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 10,501 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,279 | 15.9% |
| 120-150k | 611 | 20.1% |
| 150k+ | 172 | 18.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 82,060 | 9.8% |
| Diesel | 13,808 | 12.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,733 | 10.2% |
| 2022 | 23,674 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 23,717 | 10.0% |
| 2024 | 23,245 | 10.9% |
| 2025 | 23,499 | 11.7% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Astra
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.4% 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 2019 Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 95,868 2019 Vauxhall Astra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Vauxhall Astra?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.3%).
Does the 2019 Astra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 18.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 95,868 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.