Vauxhall Combo
From 146,819 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Combos fare better: 2021 models pass at 77% vs 62.2% for 2002.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 7,542 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.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 7,542 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 5,327 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 4,674 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 4,323 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 4,113 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 3,620 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 3,436 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 3,410 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 3,105 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 3,006 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 52.7% of failures are serious: 40.2% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 12.5% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £114.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Combo passes its MOT 75.7% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 68.6%, a 7.1 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 65.8%. With an average repair bill of £114 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Combo that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 80.8% while LP versions pass at 66.9%, a 14 percentage point gap.
Vauxhall Combo on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 12,533 newly registered in the past year with 10,110 leaving, a net gain of 2,423.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 125,210 | 21,678 | +2,158 | -2,552 | -394 |
| 2025 Q2 | 125,314 | 21,968 | +2,238 | -2,140 | +98 |
| 2025 Q1 | 125,039 | 22,145 | +3,649 | -2,641 | +1,008 |
| 2024 Q4 | 124,569 | 21,607 | +4,488 | -2,777 | +1,711 |
| 2024 Q3 | 123,807 | 20,658 | +4,008 | -2,654 | +1,354 |
| 2024 Q2 | 122,825 | 20,286 | +3,415 | -2,453 | +962 |
| 2024 Q1 | 122,056 | 20,093 | +2,442 | -2,232 | +210 |
| 2023 Q4 | 123,050 | 18,889 | +2,253 | -2,479 | -226 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combo 1700 Cdti | Diesel | 8,941 | 11% |
| Combo 2300 Prime Turbo D | Diesel | 8,113 | 10% |
| Combo 2300 Sportive S/S | Diesel | 5,536 | 7% |
| Combo 2300 Prime Turbo D S/S | Diesel | 5,322 | 6% |
| Combo 2300 Edition S/S | Diesel | 4,941 | 6% |
| Combo 2000 Cdti 16V | Diesel | 4,840 | 6% |
| Combo 2300 Pro Turbo D S/S | Diesel | 4,779 | 6% |
| Combo 2300 Dynamic Td | Diesel | 4,777 | 6% |
| Combo 2000 Cdti | Diesel | 4,551 | 6% |
| Combo 2000 L1H1 Cdti | Diesel | 4,499 | 5% |
| Combo 2300 Sportive Td | Diesel | 4,023 | 5% |
| Combo 2000 Sportive S/S | Diesel | 2,924 | 4% |
| Combo 1700 Cdti 16V | Petrol | 2,907 | 4% |
| Combo 2300 Sportive Td S/S | Diesel | 2,513 | 3% |
| Combo 2300 Pro Turbo D | Diesel | 2,403 | 3% |
| Combo Life Ultimate Ev | Battery Electric | 2,318 | 3% |
| Combo 2000 L1H1 Cdti Ss E-Flex | Diesel | 2,293 | 3% |
| Combo Life Energy S/S | Petrol | 2,290 | 3% |
| Combo 2000 Edition Td S/S | Diesel | 2,222 | 3% |
| Combo Life Design Ev | Battery Electric | 1,947 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 75.7% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 77.6% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 74.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
17 earlier years
| 2017 | 72.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2016 | 68.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2015 | 69.2% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2014 | 68.9% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 65.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 65% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 68.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 67.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2009 | 64.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2008 | 63.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2007 | 62.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 61.4% | 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 suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2005 | 62.5% | 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 | 60.4% | 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 |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 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 |
| 2002 | 62.2% | 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 |
| 2001 | 59.2% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Combos tested had between 41,465 and 135,657 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 92,835 median miles, the Combo has 0.034 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 Combo MOT pass rate?
The Vauxhall Combo has a 68.8% MOT pass rate based on 146,819 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Combo?
The most common MOT failure on the Vauxhall Combo is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 7,542 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Vauxhall Combos are on UK roads?
There are 125,210 Vauxhall Combos currently licensed on UK roads, with 21,678 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Vauxhall Combo at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Vauxhall Combo is 92,835 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 41,465 and 135,657 miles.
Buying a used Combo?
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 68.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £114 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.