Vauxhall Zafira
From 314,942 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Zafiras fare better: 2018 models pass at 83.2% vs 66.6% for 2001.
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 tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 14,564 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 | 14,564 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 10,184 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 8,446 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 7,810 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 7,557 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 7,003 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 6,596 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 6,368 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 5,985 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 5,917 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 29.5% of Zafira failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 43.9% 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 £131.
Fuel type matters
Diesel versions pass at 70.5% while LP versions pass at 57.9%, a 13 percentage point gap.
Vauxhall Zafira on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 24,242 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 12 newly registered, a net loss of 24,230. At this rate, roughly 7.9 years until none remain. Now at 42.3% of its peak (455,028 in 2014 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 160,785 | 31,536 | +10 | -5,530 | -5,520 |
| 2025 Q2 | 166,560 | 31,281 | +1 | -6,082 | -6,081 |
| 2025 Q1 | 172,722 | 31,200 | +0 | -6,082 | -6,082 |
| 2024 Q4 | 178,768 | 31,236 | +1 | -6,548 | -6,547 |
| 2024 Q3 | 185,309 | 31,242 | +6 | -6,179 | -6,173 |
| 2024 Q2 | 191,703 | 31,021 | +1 | -5,934 | -5,933 |
| 2024 Q1 | 197,784 | 30,873 | +2 | -6,069 | -6,067 |
| 2023 Q4 | 204,590 | 30,134 | +0 | -5,505 | -5,505 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zafira Exclusiv | Gas | 32,352 | 30% |
| Zafira Design | Diesel | 9,525 | 9% |
| Zafira Life | Gas | 8,186 | 8% |
| Zafira Tourer Sri Turbo | Gas | 7,975 | 7% |
| Zafira Tourer Sri Cdti | Diesel | 6,832 | 6% |
| Zafira Tourer Sri Nav Turbo | Petrol | 4,822 | 4% |
| Zafira Exclusiv Cdti Eflx | Diesel | 4,569 | 4% |
| Zafira Design Nav Cdti Ecoflex | Diesel | 3,855 | 4% |
| Zafira Tourer Design Turbo | Petrol | 3,623 | 3% |
| Zafira Club | Diesel | 3,408 | 3% |
| Zafira Tourer Exclusiv Turbo | Petrol | 3,237 | 3% |
| Zafira Tourer Exclusiv Cdti | Diesel | 3,144 | 3% |
| Zafira Elite Cdti Ecoflex | Diesel | 2,840 | 3% |
| Zafira Design Nav | Gas | 2,659 | 2% |
| Zafira Energy | Gas | 2,538 | 2% |
| Zafira Tourer Se Cdti | Diesel | 2,058 | 2% |
| Zafira Tourer Sri Cdti Auto | Diesel | 1,787 | 2% |
| Zafira Sri | Diesel | 1,778 | 2% |
| Zafira Tourer Exclusiv | Gas | 1,663 | 2% |
| Zafira Elite | Gas | 1,660 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 83.2% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 79.9% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 78.2% | engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 77.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
16 earlier years
| 2014 | 74.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2013 | 71.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 70.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 67.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 66.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2009 | 63.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2008 | 63.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2007 | 62.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 63.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2005 | 62.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2004 | 63.3% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 63.4% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2002 | 63% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 66.6% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2000 | 58.4% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 1999 | 59.9% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, emissions levels exceed default limits |
Typical mileage
Half of all Zafiras tested had between 100,010 and 154,761 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 123,770 median miles, the Zafira has 0.024 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 Zafira MOT pass rate?
The Vauxhall Zafira has a 69.9% MOT pass rate based on 314,942 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Zafira?
The most common MOT failure on the Vauxhall Zafira is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 14,564 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Vauxhall Zafiras are on UK roads?
There are 160,785 Vauxhall Zafiras currently licensed on UK roads, with 31,536 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Vauxhall Zafira at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Vauxhall Zafira is 123,770 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 100,010 and 154,761 miles.
Buying a used Zafira?
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 69.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £131 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 29.5% 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.