2019 Vauxhall Corsa — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Vauxhall Corsa passed 88.4% of its 242,024 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 10.0%. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Visibility dominates the failure mix at 7.1% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and washers — wipers alone was recorded 17,317 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.3% versus 9.5%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 7.1% | 17,268 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 9,857 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.5% | 8,441 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.8% | 6,740 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.4% | 5,916 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 1,381 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 17,317 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 6,374 |
| 3 | Washers | 5,258 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 4,060 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 3,543 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 3,224 |
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 | 22.6% | 54,602 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 30,197 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.2% | 12,597 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.2% | 12,558 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 6,706 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 1,630 |
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 | 144,515 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 84,456 | 14.3% |
| 60-90k | 11,392 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,330 | 18.2% |
| 120-150k | 237 | 19.8% |
| 150k+ | 86 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 241,620 | 11.6% |
| Diesel | 377 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,247 | 4.9% |
| 2022 | 58,829 | 8.4% |
| 2023 | 61,117 | 12.6% |
| 2024 | 59,189 | 12.1% |
| 2025 | 60,642 | 13.5% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Corsa
On a 2019 Corsa, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (7.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.5% 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.
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 Corsas pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 242,024 2019 Vauxhall Corsa MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Vauxhall Corsa?
Visibility, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.1%).
Does the 2019 Corsa get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 23.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 242,024 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.