Vauxhall Cavalier
From 2,975 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Older Cavaliers fare better: 1995 models pass at 71.5% vs 78.1% for 1993.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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, emissions levels exceed default limits and wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen. The top issue, 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, caused 168 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| 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 | 168 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 93 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 71 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 58 |
| 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 | 56 |
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 55 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 53 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 52 |
| 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. | 49 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 47 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 39.3% of Cavalier failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 13.7% 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 £193.
Vauxhall Cavalier on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 179 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 179. At this rate, roughly 35.9 years until none remain. Now at 0.5% of its peak (1,232,318 in 1994 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 1,006 | 5,459 | +0 | -12 | -12 |
| 2025 Q2 | 1,041 | 5,436 | +0 | -4 | -4 |
| 2025 Q1 | 914 | 5,567 | +0 | -55 | -55 |
| 2024 Q4 | 923 | 5,613 | +0 | -108 | -108 |
| 2024 Q3 | 1,069 | 5,575 | +0 | -44 | -44 |
| 2024 Q2 | 1,103 | 5,585 | +0 | -0 | +15 |
| 2024 Q1 | 999 | 5,674 | +0 | -75 | -75 |
| 2023 Q4 | 993 | 5,755 | +0 | -14 | -14 |
5 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavalier Ls | Diesel | 104 | 27% |
| Cavalier L | Diesel | 90 | 24% |
| Cavalier Gl | Petrol | 85 | 22% |
| Cavalier Gls | Gas | 52 | 14% |
| Cavalier 1.8 Cabrio | Petrol | 50 | 13% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 71.5% | 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, emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1994 | 74.6% | 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, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point |
| 1993 | 78.1% | 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, emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits |
| 1992 | 82.9% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
5 earlier years
| 1991 | 85.2% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, a brake hose ferrule excessively corroded |
| 1990 | 78.4% | body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, 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 |
| 1988 | 70.7% | 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, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1987 | 77.4% | 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, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led |
| 1986 | 77.2% | 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, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Cavaliers tested had between 63,530 and 133,413 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 99,215 median miles, the Cavalier has 0.023 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 Cavalier MOT pass rate?
The Vauxhall Cavalier has a 76.7% MOT pass rate based on 2,975 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Cavalier?
The most common MOT failure on the Vauxhall Cavalier is 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, which caused 168 failures. Other common issues include emissions levels exceed default limits.
How many Vauxhall Cavaliers are on UK roads?
There are 1,006 Vauxhall Cavaliers currently licensed on UK roads, with 5,459 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Vauxhall Cavalier at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Vauxhall Cavalier is 99,215 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 63,530 and 133,413 miles.
Buying a used Cavalier?
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 76.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £193 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 39.3% 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.