2017 Vauxhall Viva — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Vauxhall Viva passed 90.7% of its 53,428 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.4 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.7%. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.1%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and washers — wipers alone was recorded 2,643 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.5% in the 0-30k band and 29.5% in the 120-150k band, a 23.0-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.1% | 2,722 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 2,456 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 1,279 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 966 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.5% | 780 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.0% | 546 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,643 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 800 |
| 3 | Washers | 759 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 714 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 698 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 584 |
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 | 22.9% | 12,214 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.9% | 4,231 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.0% | 3,210 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.4% | 2,888 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.4% | 2,371 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 1,876 |
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 | 29,074 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 19,601 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 4,033 | 17.8% |
| 90-120k | 616 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 78 | 29.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,512 | 6.3% |
| 2022 | 10,595 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 10,661 | 8.8% |
| 2024 | 10,680 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 10,980 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Viva
On a 2017 Viva, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (5.1% 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.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 2017 Vauxhall Vivas pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 53,428 2017 Vauxhall Viva MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Vauxhall Viva?
Visibility, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2017 Viva get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.5% in the 0-30k band to 29.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 53,428 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.