Vauxhall Cavalier: MOT pass rate and reliability data
The Vauxhall Cavalier passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 0.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,103 individual Vauxhall Cavalier tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.
The numbers
| First-time pass rate | 77.2% |
| UK national average | 76.7% |
| Difference | +0.5 points |
| Tests analysed | 1,103 |
| Average mileage at test | 94,874 miles |
| Average year of manufacture | 1991 |
| Reliability rank | 1,546 of 2,005 models |
What this means if you are buying one
A 77.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 23 in every 100 Vauxhall Cavaliers presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Vauxhall Cavalier tested had covered 94,874 miles and was built around 1991.
What this means at salvage auction
Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Vauxhall Cavalier bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.
Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.
Looking at a specific Vauxhall Cavalier rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Vauxhall Cavaliers actually sold for at UK salvage auction.
Most common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Cavalier
- Emissions levels exceed default limits, 3.3% of tests (11.44x the national rate for this defect)
- Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, 2.3% of tests (11.39x the national rate for this defect)
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 2% of tests (9.31x the national rate for this defect)
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2% of tests (8.89x the national rate for this defect)
- 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, 6.8% of tests (8.21x the national rate for this defect)
- Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.8% of tests (5.06x the national rate for this defect)
- Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., 1.7% of tests (4.37x the national rate for this defect)
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 1.3% of tests (3.27x the national rate for this defect)
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.8% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this defect)
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.7% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
From 2,933 DVSA-tracked Vauxhall Cavalier tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.53% of these flagged Vauxhall Cavalier defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.
Other Vauxhall models
- Vauxhall Corsa - 70%
- Vauxhall Astra - 71.9%
- Vauxhall Mokka - 75.6%
- Vauxhall Zafira - 68.7%
- Vauxhall Insignia - 73.5%
- Vauxhall Vivaro - 59.7%
- Vauxhall Meriva - 68.9%
- Vauxhall Combo - 66.3%
Models with a similar pass rate
- Citroen Dispatch 1200 En-Prise Bhdi Ss - 77.3%
- Mazda Mx-5 - 77.2%
- Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure Cdi - 77.2%
- Volkswagen Golf - 77.1%
- Fiat Ducato - 77.1%
- BMW 540 - 77.1%
If this car is a salvage or write-off
- What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
- What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
- Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
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