Verdict
The Vauxhall Agila passes its MOT first time on 64.6% of tests, 3.5 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (68.1%). That puts it ahead of 32% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2014 Agila does best (beats 45% of cars) and the 2009 worst (beats 16%).
Of its engines, the 1.2 Petrol does best (beats 33%) and the 1.0 Petrol worst (beats 28%).
Better than average on body & structure, emissions & leaks, steering.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 65.0% | Beats 33% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 64.3% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 53.0% | Beats 14% | E |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Suspension ball joints 3.1× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Coil springs 1.6× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Windscreen wipers 1.6× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Brake performance 1.9× typical
On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal. - Number plate lights 1.9× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Handbrake performance 1.7× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 4.6% | 3.0% | 1.6× |
| Suspension ball joints | 4.3% | 1.4% | 3.1× |
| Windscreen wipers | 4.3% | 2.7% | 1.6× |
| Brake pipes | 3.6% | 1.2% | 3.1× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.2% | 3.4% | 0.9× |
| Brake performance | 2.9% | 1.5% | 1.9× |
| Sidelights | 2.6% | 3.0% | 0.9× |
| Number plate lights | 2.5% | 1.3% | 1.9× |
| Handbrake performance | 2.4% | 1.4% | 1.7× |
| Brake lights | 2.4% | 2.8% | 0.8× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 63.0 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 46.3 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 42.1 |
| Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 33.7 |
| Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 26.9 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 23.4 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 22.9 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 21.7 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2015 Vauxhall Agila1 engine84.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 84.7% | Beats 68% | B |
2014 Vauxhall Agila2 engines79.7% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 81.5% | Beats 57% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 77.1% | Beats 29% | D |
2013 Vauxhall Agila2 engines76.1% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 77.4% | Beats 48% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 73.3% | Beats 30% | D |
2012 Vauxhall Agila2 engines71.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 73.0% | Beats 38% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 67.3% | Beats 20% | D |
2011 Vauxhall Agila2 engines65.4% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 66.8% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 61.6% | Beats 13% | E |
2010 Vauxhall Agila2 engines63.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 63.6% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 61.3% | Beats 16% | E |
2009 Vauxhall Agila3 engines58.4% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 58.8% | Beats 15% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 59.1% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 53.4% | Beats 12% | E |
2008 Vauxhall Agila3 engines56.9% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 57.4% | Beats 18% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 55.9% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 51.5% | Beats 17% | E |
2007 Vauxhall Agila2 engines63.7% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 63.7% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.2 Petrol | 63.8% | Beats 55% | C |
2006 Vauxhall Agila2 engines62.9% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 62.9% | Beats 55% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 62.7% | Beats 56% | C |
2005 Vauxhall Agila2 engines60.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 60.2% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 59.7% | Beats 45% | C |
2004 Vauxhall Agila2 engines60.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 60.8% | Beats 59% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 57.2% | Beats 41% | C |
2003 Vauxhall Agila2 engines57.7% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 57.7% | Beats 50% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 57.7% | Beats 46% | C |
2002 Vauxhall Agila2 engines55.4% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 55.5% | Beats 44% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 55.1% | Beats 39% | D |
2001 Vauxhall Agila2 engines55.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 56.2% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 54.3% | Beats 36% | D |
2000 Vauxhall Agila2 engines54.2% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 54.7% | Beats 39% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 53.3% | Beats 27% | D |
FAQ
What is the Vauxhall Agila MOT pass rate?
64.6% of MOT tests on the Vauxhall Agila were passed first time, based on 350,576 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2000–2015. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 68.1% of the time.
Is the Vauxhall Agila reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 32% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Vauxhall Agila year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2014 Agila does best for its age and mileage: it beats 45% of cars on UK roads. The 2009 does worst: it beats 16%.
Which Vauxhall Agila engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.2 Petrol does best: it beats 33% of cars on UK roads. The 1.0 Petrol does worst: it beats 28%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Vauxhall Agila?
The most common failure items are coil springs, suspension ball joints, windscreen wipers. Compared with similar cars, suspension ball joints comes up 3.1× as often.