Chevrolet Spark
From 24,775 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Sparks fare better: 2014 models pass at 68.5% vs 66.2% for 2010.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, a lamp missing and inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning. The top issue, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, caused 1,895 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 1,895 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 1,174 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 1,082 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 768 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 738 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 726 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 709 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 660 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 639 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 536 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 49% of Spark failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 7.2% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £106.
Chevrolet Spark on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,186 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 1 newly registered, a net loss of 1,185. At this rate, roughly 11.4 years until none remain. Now at 71.3% of its peak (18,862 in 2014 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 12,547 | 898 | +1 | -363 | -362 |
| 2025 Q2 | 12,933 | 874 | +0 | -323 | -323 |
| 2025 Q1 | 13,252 | 878 | +0 | -290 | -290 |
| 2024 Q4 | 13,619 | 801 | +0 | -210 | -210 |
| 2024 Q3 | 13,923 | 707 | +0 | -285 | -285 |
| 2024 Q2 | 14,260 | 655 | +0 | -248 | -248 |
| 2024 Q1 | 14,525 | 638 | +0 | -201 | -201 |
| 2023 Q4 | 14,770 | 594 | +0 | -116 | -116 |
6 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spark Ls | Petrol | 4,545 | 36% |
| Spark Plus | Petrol | 3,128 | 25% |
| Spark Lt | Petrol | 2,928 | 23% |
| Spark Ltz | Petrol | 1,432 | 11% |
| Spark Ls Plus | Petrol | 448 | 4% |
| Spark 16V | Petrol | 66 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 68.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 2013 | 66.9% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 2012 | 65.1% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2011 | 65.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
1 earlier years
| 2010 | 66.2% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
Typical mileage
Half of all Sparks tested had between 50,546 and 79,371 miles on the clock.
At 67,489 median miles, the Spark has 0.05 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Chevrolet models
| Chevrolet Matiz | 61.7% |
| Chevrolet Aveo | 62.6% |
| Chevrolet Captiva | 65.1% |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 69% |
| Chevrolet Orlando | 67.7% |
Common questions
What is the Chevrolet Spark MOT pass rate?
The Chevrolet Spark has a 66.1% MOT pass rate based on 24,775 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Chevrolet Spark?
The most common MOT failure on the Chevrolet Spark is brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, which caused 1,895 failures. Other common issues include significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake.
How many Chevrolet Sparks are on UK roads?
There are 12,547 Chevrolet Sparks currently licensed on UK roads, with 898 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Chevrolet Spark at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Chevrolet Spark is 67,489 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 50,546 and 79,371 miles.
Buying a used Spark?
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 66.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £106 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.