Vauxhall Brava
From 806 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a headlamp or light source missing and inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led. The top issue, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, caused 40 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 40 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 38 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 37 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 31 |
| an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 31 |
| 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 | 27 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 25 |
| 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 | 23 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 21 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 18 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 27.8% of Brava failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 19.2% 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 £140.
Vauxhall Brava on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 64 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 64. At this rate, roughly 13.3 years until none remain. Now at 5.8% of its peak (14,693 in 2001 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 247 | 604 | +0 | -4 | -4 |
| 2025 Q2 | 254 | 601 | +0 | -9 | -9 |
| 2025 Q1 | 263 | 601 | +0 | -19 | -19 |
| 2024 Q4 | 266 | 617 | +0 | -32 | -32 |
| 2024 Q3 | 285 | 630 | +0 | -16 | -16 |
| 2024 Q2 | 292 | 639 | +0 | -0 | +3 |
| 2024 Q1 | 294 | 634 | +0 | -15 | -15 |
| 2023 Q4 | 310 | 633 | +0 | -5 | -5 |
2 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brava Di 4X2 | Diesel | 84 | 53% |
| Brava Di 4X4 | Diesel | 75 | 47% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 81.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 1998 | 68.9% | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1997 | 80.3% | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Bravas tested had between 85,240 and 140,209 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 105,264 median miles, the Brava has 0.025 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 Brava MOT pass rate?
The Vauxhall Brava has a 73.4% MOT pass rate based on 806 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Brava?
The most common MOT failure on the Vauxhall Brava is body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, which caused 40 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
How many Vauxhall Bravas are on UK roads?
There are 247 Vauxhall Bravas currently licensed on UK roads, with 604 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Vauxhall Brava at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Vauxhall Brava is 105,264 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 85,240 and 140,209 miles.
Buying a used Brava?
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 73.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £140 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 27.8% 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.