2022 Vauxhall Corsa — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 Vauxhall Corsa passed 91.0% of its 41,307 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (6.9% fail rate), the 2022 Corsa comes out 2.2pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.7%) and tyres (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 2,409 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.3% once past 90-120k — 2.6× the risk.
Split by fuel, electric examples fail 4.0pp more often than petrol ones (12.5% vs 8.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.9% of tests failed in 2023 against 9.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.7% | 2,340 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.0% | 1,632 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 1,001 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 635 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 328 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 138 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,409 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 860 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 548 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 365 |
| 5 | Washers | 347 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 282 |
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 | 20.8% | 8,588 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.8% | 4,857 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.0% | 2,054 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 1,457 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 477 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 290 |
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 | 31,078 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 9,488 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 665 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 57 | 19.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 35,741 | 8.5% |
| Electric | 5,006 | 12.5% |
| Diesel | 560 | 12.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 34 | 2.9% |
| 2024 | 1,861 | 6.0% |
| 2025 | 39,411 | 9.2% |
What to check before buying a 2022 Corsa
On a 2022 Corsa, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (5.7% 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.
- Tyres (4.0% 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 (2.4% 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 2022 Vauxhall Corsas pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 41,307 2022 Vauxhall Corsa MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Vauxhall Corsa?
Visibility, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by tyres (4.0%).
Does the 2022 Corsa get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 19.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 41,307 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.