2020 Vauxhall Astra — MOT failures & pass rate
21,136 MOT tests on the 2020 Vauxhall Astra are in this dataset, and 90.1% of them passed. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (8.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and emissions & environmental (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, brake pads and headlamp aim — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 657 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.3% versus 6.8%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.3% fail against 11.1% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 21,135 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.0% in 2021 to 11.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 809 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 689 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 637 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.0% | 637 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 288 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 125 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 657 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 585 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 344 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 237 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 229 |
| 6 | Washers | 225 |
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 | 18.5% | 3,918 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.3% | 3,234 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 1,170 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.5% | 324 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 241 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 173 |
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 | 11,533 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 7,625 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,588 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 327 | 17.1% |
| 120-150k | 45 | 13.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 15,201 | 9.3% |
| Diesel | 5,934 | 11.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 133 | 15.0% |
| 2022 | 208 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 6,917 | 8.4% |
| 2024 | 6,928 | 9.4% |
| 2025 | 6,950 | 11.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Astra
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (3.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2020 Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT?
90.1% of the 21,136 2020 Vauxhall Astra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Vauxhall Astra?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.3%).
Does the 2020 Astra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 13.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 21,136 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.