Diesel Alfa Romeo 159: MOT pass rate

60.1% of diesel Alfa Romeo 159s pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,616 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 127,657.

Diesel against the other Alfa Romeo 159 versions

Fuel Pass rate Tests
Diesel 60.1% 2,616
Petrol 63.2% 793
All Alfa Romeo 15960.8%3,409

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Alfa Romeo 159 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 63.2%, and this diesel version sits 0.7 points below the 60.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Alfa Romeo 159 had covered 127,657 miles at test, against 95,823 for the petrol. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Alfa Romeo 159 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Other Alfa Romeo 159 fuel types

All Alfa Romeo 159 MOT data · Every model