Vauxhall Adam
From 103,994 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Adams fare better: 2019 models pass at 84.3% vs 74.9% for 2013.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, caused 5,085 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.
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 5,085 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 3,601 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 2,512 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 2,431 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,850 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,552 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 1,286 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 1,045 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 953 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 897 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 33.3% of Adam failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 12.2% 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 £129.
Vauxhall Adam on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 521 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 521.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 54,609 | 1,009 | +0 | -219 | -219 |
| 2025 Q2 | 54,845 | 992 | +0 | -172 | -172 |
| 2025 Q1 | 55,089 | 920 | +0 | -130 | -130 |
| 2024 Q4 | 55,295 | 844 | +0 | -0 | +100 |
| 2024 Q3 | 55,359 | 680 | +1 | -243 | -242 |
| 2024 Q2 | 55,630 | 651 | +0 | -78 | -78 |
| 2024 Q1 | 55,698 | 661 | +0 | -138 | -138 |
| 2023 Q4 | 55,929 | 568 | +0 | -0 | +199 |
17 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Jam | Petrol | 16,561 | 30% |
| Adam Energised | Petrol | 14,733 | 27% |
| Adam Glam | Gas | 8,873 | 16% |
| Adam Slam | Petrol | 5,879 | 11% |
| Adam Griffin | Petrol | 1,993 | 4% |
| Adam Rocks Air | Petrol | 1,738 | 3% |
| Adam Jam S/S | Petrol | 1,372 | 3% |
| Adam S S/S | Petrol | 612 | 1% |
| Adam Glam S/S | Petrol | 577 | 1% |
| Adam Rocks | Petrol | 497 | <1% |
| Adam Slam S/S | Petrol | 377 | <1% |
| Adam Grand Slam S/S | Petrol | 341 | <1% |
| Adam Glam S-A | Petrol | 304 | <1% |
| Adam Energised Black Jack | Petrol | 189 | <1% |
| Adam White Edition | Petrol | 173 | <1% |
| Adam Unlimited | Petrol | 91 | <1% |
| Adam Jam S-A | Petrol | 87 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 84.3% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 82.5% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2017 | 79.5% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2016 | 77.2% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
3 earlier years
| 2015 | 76.1% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated |
| 2014 | 75% | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2013 | 74.9% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
Typical mileage
Half of all Adams tested had between 40,150 and 60,997 miles on the clock.
At 49,058 median miles, the Adam has 0.046 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Vauxhall models
| Vauxhall Corsa | 70.9% |
| Vauxhall Astra | 72.5% |
| Vauxhall Vivaro | 67.2% |
| Vauxhall Mokka | 76.7% |
| Vauxhall Insignia | 75.3% |
Common questions
What is the Vauxhall Adam MOT pass rate?
The Vauxhall Adam has a 77.5% MOT pass rate based on 103,994 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Adam?
The most common MOT failure on the Vauxhall Adam is steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which caused 5,085 failures. Other common issues include a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage.
How many Vauxhall Adams are on UK roads?
There are 54,609 Vauxhall Adams currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,009 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Vauxhall Adam at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Vauxhall Adam is 49,058 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 40,150 and 60,997 miles.
Buying a used Adam?
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 77.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £129 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 33.3% 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.