2018 Vauxhall Viva — MOT failures & pass rate
29,562 MOT tests on the 2018 Vauxhall Viva are in this dataset, and 92.3% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail 9.7% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.4%) and tyres (3.6%) 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 washers — wipers alone was recorded 1,662 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.3% versus 6.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.4% | 1,587 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.6% | 1,073 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 554 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.0% | 290 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 212 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 168 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,662 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 379 |
| 3 | Washers | 349 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 295 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 213 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 211 |
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 | 21.3% | 6,296 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.3% | 1,859 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 1,630 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 1,007 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.6% | 782 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 762 |
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 | 20,421 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 7,916 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,084 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 115 | 24.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,830 | 4.4% |
| 2022 | 5,975 | 7.1% |
| 2023 | 5,897 | 7.2% |
| 2024 | 5,836 | 9.4% |
| 2025 | 6,024 | 10.6% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Viva
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 5.4% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (5.4% 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 (3.6% 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 (1.9% 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 2018 Vauxhall Vivas pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 29,562 2018 Vauxhall Viva MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Vauxhall Viva?
Visibility, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by tyres (3.6%).
Does the 2018 Viva get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 24.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 29,562 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.