2015 Vauxhall Zafira — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 88,211 MOT tests, the 2015 Vauxhall Zafira recorded an 82.4% pass rate. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (17.1% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.1%) and lighting & signalling (6.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,366 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.8% in the 0-30k band and 20.7% in the 150k+ band, a 10.9-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.8% fail against 18.3% for diesel, a 1.6-point gap across 88,211 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.1% | 6,251 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 5,621 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.2% | 4,622 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.6% | 4,065 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.4% | 3,844 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 2,758 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 3,366 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,201 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,466 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 2,118 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,975 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,908 |
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 | 29.3% | 25,823 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.7% | 18,247 |
| 3 | Other defects | 12.6% | 11,101 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.8% | 8,625 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 6,722 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 4,686 |
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 | 4,778 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 32,015 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 32,504 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 12,771 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 3,735 | 21.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,379 | 20.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 47,842 | 18.3% |
| Petrol | 40,369 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,605 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 17,824 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 17,902 | 18.0% |
| 2024 | 17,611 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 17,269 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Zafira
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.1% 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 (6.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.2% 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
How many 2015 Vauxhall Zafiras pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 88,211 2015 Vauxhall Zafira MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Vauxhall Zafira?
Tyres, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.4%).
Does the 2015 Zafira get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 20.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 88,211 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.