Verdict
The Vauxhall Vectra passes its MOT first time on 50.7% of tests, 3.9 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (54.7%). That puts it ahead of 35% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2006 Vectra does best (beats 39% of cars) and the 2009 worst (beats 31%).
Of its engines, the 2.2 Petrol does best (beats 44%) and the 1.8 Petrol worst (beats 30%).
Better than average on steering, seat belts & airbags.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 49.7% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 51.3% | Beats 40% | C |
| 2.2 Petrol | 53.2% | Beats 44% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 47.2% | Beats 42% | C |
| 2.8 Petrol | 66.1% | Beats 80% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.5% | Beats 45% | C |
| 2.2 Diesel | 46.5% | Beats 39% | D |
| 3.2 Petrol | 55.3% | Beats 60% | C |
| 2.5 Petrol | 61.5% | Beats 70% | B |
| 2.6 Petrol | 58.8% | Beats 66% | B |
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
- Coil springs 2.4× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Handbrake performance 1.7× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Anti-roll bar links 2.5× typical
A knock or rattle over uneven roads usually means worn anti-roll bar links (cheap to fix). - Exhaust system 1.8× typical
Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look for heavy corrosion underneath. - Brake pads 1.4× typical
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - 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.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 9.5% | 3.9% | 2.4× |
| Handbrake performance | 7.2% | 4.4% | 1.7× |
| Brake pipes | 6.7% | 2.2% | 3.1× |
| Headlight aim | 5.3% | 5.6% | 0.9× |
| Tyre tread depth | 4.7% | 3.8% | 1.2× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 4.5% | 4.0% | 1.1× |
| Sidelights | 4.5% | 6.0% | 0.7× |
| Exhaust system | 4.4% | 2.4% | 1.8× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.4% | 3.9% | 1.1× |
| Windscreen wipers | 4.1% | 3.0% | 1.4× |
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 | 94.8 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 84.0 |
| Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 58.0 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 53.0 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 46.5 |
| Exhaust system leaking or insecure | 42.1 |
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 39.8 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 38.1 |
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.
2009 Vauxhall Vectra3 engines53.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 52.0% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.8 Petrol | 53.0% | Beats 25% | D |
| 2.8 Petrol | 67.5% | Beats 76% | B |
2008 Vauxhall Vectra4 engines51.6% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 50.8% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 52.1% | Beats 37% | D |
| 2.2 Petrol | 57.9% | Beats 46% | C |
| 2.8 Petrol | 66.8% | Beats 79% | B |
2007 Vauxhall Vectra5 engines50.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 49.7% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 51.4% | Beats 40% | D |
| 2.2 Petrol | 54.8% | Beats 42% | C |
| 2.8 Petrol | 66.1% | Beats 81% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.8% | Beats 44% | C |
2006 Vauxhall Vectra5 engines50.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 48.9% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 51.2% | Beats 45% | C |
| 2.2 Petrol | 54.6% | Beats 47% | C |
| 2.8 Petrol | 65.0% | Beats 82% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 54.2% | Beats 49% | C |
2005 Vauxhall Vectra3 engines48.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 47.8% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 49.4% | Beats 44% | C |
| 2.2 Petrol | 52.1% | Beats 42% | C |
2004 Vauxhall Vectra7 engines47.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 47.0% | Beats 33% | D |
| 1.9 Diesel | 48.3% | Beats 45% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 48.3% | Beats 45% | C |
| 2.2 Petrol | 49.8% | Beats 39% | D |
| 2.2 Diesel | 47.7% | Beats 43% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 45.1% | Beats 29% | D |
| 3.2 Petrol | 56.5% | Beats 63% | B |
2003 Vauxhall Vectra5 engines47.4% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 47.0% | Beats 34% | D |
| 2.2 Petrol | 48.2% | Beats 34% | D |
| 2.0 Diesel | 46.4% | Beats 41% | C |
| 2.2 Diesel | 45.8% | Beats 37% | D |
| 3.2 Petrol | 54.0% | Beats 55% | C |
2002 Vauxhall Vectra3 engines49.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 48.9% | Beats 38% | D |
| 2.2 Petrol | 53.4% | Beats 51% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 44.4% | Beats 34% | D |
2001 Vauxhall Vectra3 engines53.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 51.9% | Beats 44% | C |
| 2.2 Petrol | 54.8% | Beats 53% | C |
| 2.6 Petrol | 58.8% | Beats 66% | B |
2000 Vauxhall Vectra3 engines54.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 51.9% | Beats 41% | C |
| 2.5 Petrol | 61.5% | Beats 70% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 56.0% | Beats 50% | C |
1999 Vauxhall Vectra2 engines55.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 53.6% | Beats 40% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 58.3% | Beats 57% | C |
1998 Vauxhall Vectra1 engine57.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 Petrol | 57.5% | Beats 42% | C |
FAQ
What is the Vauxhall Vectra MOT pass rate?
50.7% of MOT tests on the Vauxhall Vectra were passed first time, based on 515,611 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1998–2009. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 54.7% of the time.
Is the Vauxhall Vectra 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 35% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Vauxhall Vectra year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2006 Vectra does best for its age and mileage: it beats 39% of cars on UK roads. The 2009 does worst: it beats 31%.
Which Vauxhall Vectra engine is best?
Across all years, the 2.2 Petrol does best: it beats 44% of cars on UK roads. The 1.8 Petrol does worst: it beats 30%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Vauxhall Vectra?
The most common failure items are coil springs, handbrake performance, brake pipes. Compared with similar cars, coil springs comes up 2.4× as often.