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Vauxhall Cavalier MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Vauxhall Cavalier. Check any Cavalier by registration number below.

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80.8%

Avg Pass Rate

-1.2%

vs Vauxhall Avg

13

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Vauxhall Cavalier — MOT Reliability Overview

The Vauxhall Cavalier has an average MOT pass rate of 80.8%, which is 1.2 percentage points below the Vauxhall brand average of 82.0%. This is a strong result, indicating that the Cavalier is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a Vauxhall Cavalier fails its MOT are vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 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, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point. If you are preparing your Cavalier for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Before buying a used Vauxhall Cavalier, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Vauxhall Cavalier performs at MOT across different model years.

1995

Based on 946 vehicles

70.7%Average
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

4.0%

Retest Rate

20.4%

1994

Based on 663 vehicles

77.8%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

2.6%

Retest Rate

16.0%

1993

Based on 722 vehicles

81.0%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

1.5%

Retest Rate

12.3%

1992

Based on 314 vehicles

80.9%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

0.4%

Retest Rate

13.3%

1991

Based on 179 vehicles

86.6%Excellent
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

1.5%

Retest Rate

10.4%

1990

Based on 171 vehicles

82.5%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

2.5%

Retest Rate

7.5%

1989

Based on 120 vehicles

85.0%Excellent
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

3.6%

Retest Rate

7.1%

1988

Based on 194 vehicles

72.2%Average
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

1.5%

Retest Rate

29.6%

1987

Based on 248 vehicles

72.6%Average
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

1.0%

Retest Rate

18.7%

1986

Based on 291 vehicles

77.0%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

0.5%

Retest Rate

16.2%

1985

Based on 87 vehicles

93.1%Excellent
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

1984

Based on 46 vehicles

91.3%Excellent
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Dangerous Defects

4.0%

Retest Rate

12.0%

0

Based on 1,465 vehicles

79.1%Good
Vauxhall average: 82.0%
Mileage at 5yr

97k mi

Top MOT Failures — Vauxhall Cavalier

The most common reasons a Vauxhall Cavalier fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced

6.7%
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

5.5%
3

Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point

3.9%
4

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

2.9%
5

Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits

2.6%
Vauxhall Cavalier Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front Offside

12.4%

Rear Offside

9.1%

Front Nearside

8.2%

Other Vauxhall Models

Compare MOT reliability across Vauxhall models.

Vauxhall Corsa Elite Turbo D

94.0% pass rate

Vauxhall Corsa Se Edition Turbo Auto

94.7% pass rate

Vauxhall Corsa

80.5% pass rate

Vauxhall Insig Sri Nav Vxred Cdtieco Ss

87.5% pass rate

Vauxhall Astra Business Edition Nav T

90.3% pass rate

Vauxhall Signum

70.2% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Vauxhall Cavalier MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Cavalier?
The average MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Cavalier is 80.8% compared to the Vauxhall average of 82.0%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Cavalier?
The most common MOT failures on the Vauxhall Cavalier are: Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced (6.7%), 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 (5.5%), Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point (3.9%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Vauxhall Cavalier reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 80.8%, the Vauxhall Cavalier is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.
How do I check the MOT history of a Vauxhall Cavalier?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Vauxhall Cavalier?
Typical mileage for the Vauxhall Cavalier: 96,569 miles at 5 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Cavalier to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Vauxhall Cavalier's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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