Vauxhall Meriva MOT pass rate & common failures
644,299 MOT tests on the Vauxhall Meriva (2003–2021) give it a 76.0% pass rate. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (23.6% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst Meriva years
Ranked across Meriva 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
Not every year is equal — 86.8% of 2017 examples pass against 67.0% of 2004 ones.
No single area dominates — suspension (12.5%) and lighting & signalling (10.6%) 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 rigid brake pipes — coil spring alone was recorded 50,322 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.1% versus 11.3%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.9% of the time against 24.2% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 29.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Meriva model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 4,042 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 18,258 | 67.0% | 33.0% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 23,922 | 67.2% | 32.8% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 35,811 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 40,538 | 68.7% | 31.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 43,443 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 41,528 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 70,726 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 98,497 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 57,884 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 50,175 | 78.3% | 21.8% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 46,300 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 49,331 | 83.4% | 16.6% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 38,074 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 25,604 | 86.8% | 13.3% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 160 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.5% | 80,550 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.6% | 68,293 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.1% | 46,085 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.9% | 38,261 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 27,215 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 26,614 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 25,727 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.6% | 16,899 |
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 | 50,322 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 28,539 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 25,847 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 18,970 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 17,362 |
| 6 | Washers | 16,018 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 15,184 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 15,126 |
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 | 29.6% | 191,009 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.6% | 184,323 |
| 3 | Suspension | 22.0% | 141,525 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.5% | 87,115 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.5% | 86,638 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 73,635 |
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 | 53,256 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 186,015 | 19.2% |
| 60-90k | 225,203 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 131,338 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 37,560 | 31.8% |
| 150k+ | 8,687 | 33.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 532,488 | 23.9% |
| Diesel | 111,800 | 24.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 152,259 | 23.4% |
| 2022 | 140,333 | 23.4% |
| 2023 | 130,231 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 116,712 | 24.0% |
| 2025 | 104,764 | 25.0% |
What to check before buying a Vauxhall Meriva
- Suspension (12.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (10.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.1% 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 Meriva?
76.0% of the 644,299 Vauxhall Meriva MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.0% fail rate, across model years 2003–2021.
What does the Vauxhall Meriva most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 12.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (10.6%).
Which Meriva years are best and worst for MOT results?
2017 has the best pass rate at 86.8% and 2004 the weakest at 67.0%, from 25,604 and 18,258 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Meriva MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.1% for 150k+, a 21.7-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Meriva more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 23.9% of the time against 24.2% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 644,299 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.