Vauxhall Meriva Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Vauxhall Meriva passes its MOT first time on 62.9% of tests, 4.5 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (67.4%). That puts it ahead of 27% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2011 Meriva does best (beats 60% of cars) and the 2009 worst (beats 11%).

Of its engines, the 1.7 Diesel does best (beats 44%) and the 1.6 Petrol worst (beats 12%).

Better than average on seat belts & airbags.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension1.5×as often as a typical car

Body & structure1.4×as often as a typical car

Coil springs2.4×as often as a typical car

Brake pipes3.3×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

Vauxhall MerivaTypical car, same age & mileage

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.

Beats 20%

Beats 15%

Beats 13%

Beats 12%

Beats 11%

Beats 13%

Beats 11%

Beats 32%

Beats 60%

Beats 56%

Beats 37%

Beats 50%

Beats 38%

Beats 28%

Beats 17%

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	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	2004–2017	609,963	67.2%	Beats 31%	D
1.6 Petrol	2003–2010	170,710	47.1%	Beats 12%	E
1.7 Diesel	2004–2015	124,308	63.5%	Beats 44%	C
1.2 Diesel	2006–2014	27,774	59.6%	Beats 32%	D
1.6 Diesel	2014–2016	13,326	75.2%	Beats 36%	D
1.8 Petrol	2003–2009	6,867	45.8%	Beats 18%	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.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Suspension: 16.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 10.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Suspension

16.0% vs 10.9%

Lights & electrics

14.6% vs 13.7%

Brakes

9.4% vs 7.7%

Tyres

7.7% vs 6.6%

Body & structure

5.4% vs 3.9%

Visibility

5.4% vs 5.4%

Emissions & leaks

4.9% vs 3.4%

Steering

3.7% vs 2.1%

Seat belts & airbags

0.8% vs 1.1%

Wheels

0.2% vs 0.4%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Coil springs 2.4× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps.
Engine warning light 2.1× typical
The engine warning light should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts. If it stays on, get the fault codes read before you buy.
Exhaust system 1.8× typical
Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look for heavy corrosion underneath.
Track rod ends 1.7× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Vauxhall MerivaTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Coil springs	7.6%	3.1%	2.4×
Tyre damage & cracking	4.6%	3.5%	1.3×
Headlight aim	4.4%	3.6%	1.2×
Sidelights	3.4%	3.3%	1.0×
Brake pipes	3.3%	1.0%	3.3×
Brake lights	3.0%	2.8%	1.1×
Windscreen washers	2.7%	2.3%	1.2×
Tyre tread depth	2.6%	2.6%	1.0×
Track rod ends	2.6%	1.5%	1.7×
Exhaust system	2.5%	1.4%	1.8×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defect	per 1,000
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened	75.5
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	43.6
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn	40.0
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded	29.7
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc	29.4
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	27.3
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	27.2
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	26.5

Check another car

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.

2017 Vauxhall Meriva1 engine81.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	29,915	81.4%	Beats 17%	E

2016 Vauxhall Meriva2 engines80.3% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	48,555	80.4%	Beats 28%	D
1.6 Diesel	2,017	77.7%	Beats 25%	D

2015 Vauxhall Meriva3 engines79.2% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	67,090	79.5%	Beats 39%	D
1.6 Diesel	4,221	75.0%	Beats 26%	D
1.7 Diesel	1,852	77.3%	Beats 26%	D

2014 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines77.5% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	57,875	78.1%	Beats 51%	C
1.6 Diesel	7,088	74.7%	Beats 45%	C
1.7 Diesel	1,478	72.5%	Beats 34%	D
1.2 Diesel	1,378	73.1%	Beats 44%	C

2013 Vauxhall Meriva3 engines71.7% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	58,864	72.5%	Beats 39%	D
1.7 Diesel	8,925	68.2%	Beats 31%	D
1.2 Diesel	2,681	65.9%	Beats 26%	D

2012 Vauxhall Meriva3 engines71.0% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	56,481	71.7%	Beats 58%	C
1.7 Diesel	21,932	69.7%	Beats 52%	C
1.2 Diesel	3,942	68.7%	Beats 59%	C

2011 Vauxhall Meriva3 engines68.0% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	79,223	68.5%	Beats 60%	B
1.7 Diesel	55,178	67.4%	Beats 59%	C
1.2 Diesel	5,801	65.7%	Beats 56%	C

2010 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines60.2% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	67,810	61.4%	Beats 36%	D
1.6 Petrol	17,799	51.5%	Beats 8%	E
1.7 Diesel	9,684	66.9%	Beats 62%	B
1.2 Diesel	4,104	61.6%	Beats 45%	C

2009 Vauxhall Meriva5 engines51.9% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	33,587	52.4%	Beats 11%	E
1.6 Petrol	19,066	52.2%	Beats 10%	E
1.2 Diesel	2,519	47.8%	Beats 9%	E
1.7 Diesel	1,856	47.7%	Beats 12%	E
1.8 Petrol	1,179	51.4%	Beats 10%	E

2008 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines49.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	29,285	50.2%	Beats 13%	E
1.6 Petrol	27,458	49.0%	Beats 12%	E
1.7 Diesel	3,930	45.8%	Beats 13%	E
1.2 Diesel	2,933	49.5%	Beats 16%	E

2007 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines47.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	30,628	46.5%	Beats 9%	E
1.6 Petrol	25,118	47.9%	Beats 12%	E
1.7 Diesel	3,265	47.1%	Beats 18%	E
1.2 Diesel	2,947	47.9%	Beats 16%	E

2006 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines45.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	28,563	45.2%	Beats 11%	E
1.6 Petrol	23,613	45.8%	Beats 12%	E
1.7 Diesel	5,685	44.9%	Beats 18%	E
1.2 Diesel	1,469	45.7%	Beats 15%	E

2005 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines43.6% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	20,018	43.3%	Beats 12%	E
1.6 Petrol	17,353	43.8%	Beats 12%	E
1.7 Diesel	6,683	43.2%	Beats 17%	E
1.8 Petrol	1,824	45.4%	Beats 18%	E

2004 Vauxhall Meriva4 engines43.0% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	31,743	42.7%	Beats 14%	E
1.7 Diesel	3,840	44.3%	Beats 25%	D
1.8 Petrol	2,565	43.9%	Beats 19%	E
1.4 Petrol	2,069	43.8%	Beats 15%	E

2003 Vauxhall Meriva2 engines44.7% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	8,560	44.7%	Beats 20%	D
1.8 Petrol	1,299	44.9%	Beats 25%	D

FAQ

What is the Vauxhall Meriva MOT pass rate?

62.9% of MOT tests on the Vauxhall Meriva were passed first time, based on 952,948 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2003–2017. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 67.4% of the time.

Is the Vauxhall Meriva 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 27% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Vauxhall Meriva year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2011 Meriva does best for its age and mileage: it beats 60% of cars on UK roads. The 2009 does worst: it beats 11%.

Which Vauxhall Meriva engine is best?

Across all years, the 1.7 Diesel does best: it beats 44% of cars on UK roads. The 1.6 Petrol does worst: it beats 12%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Vauxhall Meriva?

The most common failure items are coil springs, tyre damage & cracking, headlight aim. Compared with similar cars, coil springs comes up 2.4× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.

Vauxhall Meriva reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ