Vauxhall Zafira MOT failure rate and common faults
168,050 Vauxhall Zafira cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 38.2% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 34.1% of the time, which makes the Vauxhall Zafira 12% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
38.2%
failed first time
168,050 MOT tests in 2025
+12%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 34.1%
163 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
155.9
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 120.9
What fails on a Vauxhall Zafira MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Vauxhall Zafira MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 63.6 |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Engine, emissions and leaks | 46.0 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 40.4 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 39.1 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 39.0 |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 35.7 |
| Tyres: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 30.9 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 27.5 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 25.4 |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 24.2 |
Vauxhall Zafira MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4,821 | 22.9% | 19.1% | 56,700 |
| 2017 | 11,884 | 26.2% | 21.8% | 64,400 |
| 2016 | 11,582 | 29.5% | 25.1% | 76,100 |
| 2015 | 13,992 | 30.4% | 28.1% | 84,600 |
| 2014 | 26,192 | 34.9% | 31.4% | 91,100 |
| 2013 | 25,588 | 37.9% | 34.3% | 94,200 |
| 2012 | 14,386 | 39.5% | 36.6% | 98,500 |
| 2011 | 10,724 | 43.8% | 38.8% | 107,900 |
| 2010 | 13,474 | 44.9% | 40.7% | 109,200 |
| 2009 | 7,479 | 47.2% | 41.8% | 107,800 |
| 2008 | 10,154 | 47.9% | 42.9% | 112,400 |
| 2007 | 8,506 | 49.2% | 42.7% | 114,200 |
| 2006 | 5,402 | 47.0% | 43.0% | 115,900 |
| 2005 | 3,859 | 48.5% | 42.4% | 115,000 |
Advisories to look for in a Vauxhall Zafira's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Vauxhall Zafira, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge363.5
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive182.3
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened182.3
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing144.6
- Brake pads: wearing thin124.1
- Coil spring: corroded111.0
Checking a used Vauxhall Zafira before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Vauxhall Zafira fails more often than average on tyres, engine, emissions and leaks and windscreen, wipers and mirrors. Start there.
Tyres
Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, inner edge included. Uneven wear points to worn suspension or out of line steering geometry.
Engine, emissions and leaks
Start the car from cold and watch the exhaust for smoke, look underneath for oil or fuel leaks, and make sure the engine warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine runs.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
Look for chips or cracks in the driver's line of sight, and test the wipers and washers. Windscreen damage in the swept area is an MOT failure.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Vauxhall Zafira cars tested: Petrol 65%, Diesel 35%. Average age at test 12.7 years, average recorded mileage 94,800.
Vauxhall Zafira MOT questions
What is the Vauxhall Zafira MOT failure rate?
38.2% of Vauxhall Zafira cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 168,050 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 34.1% of the time, so the Vauxhall Zafira was 12% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Vauxhall Zafira MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 240 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded 63.6 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Vauxhall Zafira year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2015 registrations did best: 30.4% failed against an average of 28.1% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Vauxhall Zafira will pass?
No. These are averages across every Vauxhall Zafira tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Vauxhall models
- Vauxhall Corsa35.2% failed
- Vauxhall Astra33.9% failed
- Vauxhall Mokka30.9% failed
- Vauxhall Insignia32.6% failed
- Vauxhall Vivaro41.7% failed
- Vauxhall Combo37.5% failed
Ranked close to the Vauxhall Zafira
- Renault Capturrank 160
- Volkswagen Polorank 161
- Alfa Romeo Giuliettarank 162
- Volkswagen Beetlerank 164
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Vauxhall Zafira cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.