Alfa Romeo 156
From 2,103 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame and spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 96 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 96 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 89 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 75 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 61 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 61 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 53 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 45 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 43 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 43 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 42 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 43.4% of 156 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 14.6% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £154.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 71% while Diesel versions pass at 65.1%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Alfa Romeo 156 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 306 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 306. At this rate, roughly 11.3 years until none remain. Now at 8.2% of its peak (41,955 in 2005 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 748 | 2,700 | +0 | -26 | -26 |
| 2025 Q2 | 776 | 2,698 | +0 | -42 | -42 |
| 2025 Q1 | 793 | 2,723 | +0 | -99 | -99 |
| 2024 Q4 | 838 | 2,777 | +0 | -139 | -139 |
| 2024 Q3 | 921 | 2,833 | +0 | -90 | -90 |
| 2024 Q2 | 952 | 2,892 | +0 | -38 | -38 |
| 2024 Q1 | 978 | 2,904 | +1 | -54 | -53 |
| 2023 Q4 | 1,011 | 2,924 | +0 | -39 | -39 |
2 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 156 V6 24V Gta | Petrol | 127 | 71% |
| 156 2.5 V6 | Petrol | 52 | 29% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 68.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2004 | 68.1% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 74.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 2002 | 69% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
4 earlier years
| 2001 | 74.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2000 | 65.2% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1999 | 72.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 1998 | 63.2% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all 156s tested had between 63,499 and 115,656 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 90,008 median miles, the 156 has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Alfa Romeo models
| Alfa Romeo Giulietta | 75.7% |
| Alfa Romeo Mito | 72.1% |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia | 90% |
| Alfa Romeo 159 | 68.1% |
| Alfa Romeo Spider | 75.9% |
Common questions
What is the Alfa Romeo 156 MOT pass rate?
The Alfa Romeo 156 has a 69.9% MOT pass rate based on 2,103 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Alfa Romeo 156?
The most common MOT failure on the Alfa Romeo 156 is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 96 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
How many Alfa Romeo 156s are on UK roads?
There are 748 Alfa Romeo 156s currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,700 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Alfa Romeo 156 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Alfa Romeo 156 is 90,008 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 63,499 and 115,656 miles.
Buying a used 156?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 69.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £154 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 43.4% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.