Vauxhall Frontera MOT pass rate & common failures
The Vauxhall Frontera appears in 6,217 MOT tests spanning model years 1992–2013, and 73.1% of them passed. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (28.1% fail rate), the Frontera comes out 1.3pp better. Its most common failure areas are body, structure & corrosion, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (13.2%) and brakes (13.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, service brake performance and prescribed areas — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 533 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Frontera fails 26.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 27.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 26.1% of the time against 27.5% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 42.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.9% in 2021 to 22.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Frontera model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 38 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 124 | 82.3% | 17.7% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1994 | 290 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 305 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 381 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 332 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 440 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1999 | 539 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 599 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 416 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 800 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 1,292 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 602 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 53 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.2% | 823 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.0% | 811 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 714 |
| 4 | Suspension | 10.6% | 661 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.1% | 378 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.4% | 335 |
| 7 | Visibility | 5.3% | 328 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.9% | 179 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 533 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 455 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 421 |
| 4 | Joints | 396 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 293 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 283 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 246 |
| 8 | Chassis condition | 241 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 42.1% | 2,615 |
| 2 | Brakes | 39.4% | 2,448 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 27.4% | 1,705 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 18.9% | 1,177 |
| 5 | Tyres | 16.9% | 1,050 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.3% | 890 |
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 | 199 | 26.6% |
| 30-60k | 661 | 22.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,409 | 27.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,818 | 26.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,290 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 699 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,400 | 27.5% |
| Petrol | 2,817 | 26.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,047 | 27.9% |
| 2022 | 1,510 | 27.5% |
| 2023 | 1,145 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | 884 | 26.2% |
| 2025 | 631 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a Vauxhall Frontera
- Body, structure & corrosion (13.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (13.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Frontera?
73.1% of the 6,217 Vauxhall Frontera MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.9% fail rate, across model years 1992–2013.
What does the Vauxhall Frontera most often fail its MOT on?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 13.2% of tests, then brakes (13.0%).
How much does mileage affect Frontera MOT results?
Fail rates run at 26.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 27.6% for 150k+, a 1.0-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Frontera more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 26.1% of the time against 27.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,217 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.