Vauxhall Corsavan MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 25 model years and 30,468 tests, the Vauxhall Corsavan passes its MOT 71.7% of the time. Vans of a similar age fail at 27.9%, so the Corsavan sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Corsavan years
Ranked across Corsavan years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2011 (73.6% pass rate); the weakest is 2005 (66.6%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (18.2%) and suspension (16.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and position lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 2,845 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.9% versus 22.9%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 30.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 27.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Corsavan model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 117 | 64.1% | 35.9% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 473 | 64.5% | 35.5% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 882 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 758 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,272 | 66.6% | 33.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 2,800 | 67.9% | 32.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,864 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 5,388 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 3,840 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 3,728 | 72.8% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 4,228 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 2,087 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 36 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 91 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 119 | 80.7% | 19.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 380 | 86.1% | 14.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 292 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 63 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.2% | 5,548 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.1% | 4,916 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.5% | 2,603 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.8% | 2,369 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.0% | 2,139 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 1,859 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 1,314 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.6% | 792 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 2,845 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,031 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 1,785 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,728 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,629 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,569 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 1,227 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 1,214 |
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 | 30.4% | 9,276 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.0% | 8,527 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.6% | 6,881 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 14.9% | 4,555 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 4,397 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.2% | 3,719 |
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 | 210 | 22.9% |
| 30-60k | 1,392 | 20.4% |
| 60-90k | 5,197 | 25.0% |
| 90-120k | 8,865 | 28.2% |
| 120-150k | 8,061 | 29.9% |
| 150k+ | 6,564 | 30.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 30,145 | 28.3% |
| Petrol | 323 | 25.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,190 | 27.6% |
| 2022 | 7,295 | 28.3% |
| 2023 | 6,124 | 28.3% |
| 2024 | 4,938 | 28.9% |
| 2025 | 3,921 | 29.1% |
What to check before buying a Vauxhall Corsavan
- Lighting & signalling (18.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (16.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (8.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Corsavan?
71.7% of the 30,468 Vauxhall Corsavan MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.3% fail rate, across model years 1994–2018.
What does the Vauxhall Corsavan most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.2% of tests, then suspension (16.1%).
Which Corsavan years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 73.6% and 2005 the weakest at 66.6%, from 4,228 and 1,272 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Corsavan MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.9% for 150k+, a 8.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 30,468 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.