Reliability report
Vauxhall Astra reliability and common faults
Based on 861,944 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
27.8%
fail rate · average 26.6%
worse than average
573,042 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
55.8%
with defects · average 55.0%
about average
85,616 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
41.2%
first-time pass · average 46.1%
much worse than average
203,286 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Vauxhall Astra
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Body and structureconfirmed in 2 countries
Exhaust and emissionsconfirmed in 2 countries
Tyresconfirmed in 2 countries
Brakes
Plates and identification
Visibility
Suspension
Lights and electrics
Wheels
Driving controls
Seat belts and airbags
Steering
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 3Tyre insufficient tread
- 4Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 5Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 6Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 7Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 8Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 9Spring broken or cracked
- 10Tyre damaged
- 11Tyre pressure monitoring system warning indicator is on
- 12Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 12.1% avg 9.9% | 22.9% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 15.5% avg 15.3% | 32.6% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 25.0% avg 22.9% | 45.1% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 29.8% avg 30.3% | 58.0% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 38.0% avg 34.6% | 65.0% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 34.4% avg 31.4% | 68.0% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Astra | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 78.3% | 78.6% | 69 |
| 2019 | 81.3% | 83.2% | 423 |
| 2018 | 80.7% | 79.5% | 787 |
| 2017 | 82.6% | 76.6% | 1,643 |
| 2016 | 78.5% | 72.8% | 1,658 |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 71.1% | 1,590 |
| 2014 | 75.1% | 68.0% | 1,384 |
| 2013 | 68.6% | 65.9% | 1,924 |
| 2012 | 64.7% | 63.7% | 3,364 |
| 2011 | 63.4% | 61.2% | 6,604 |
| 2010 | 56.4% | 57.3% | 5,411 |
| 2009 | 48.8% | 54.5% | 4,751 |
| 2008 | 46.9% | 52.4% | 9,387 |
| 2007 | 44.3% | 50.6% | 13,144 |
| 2006 | 42.5% | 48.7% | 16,479 |
Vauxhall Astra – FAQs
How reliable is the Vauxhall Astra?+
In the UK the Vauxhall Astra fails 27.8% of MOT tests, against an average of 26.6% for cars of the same age – worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 55.8% of APK inspections (average there 55.0%) – about average. In Lithuania 41.2% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 46.1%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Vauxhall Astra?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: body and structure, exhaust and emissions, tyres, brakes.
What should I check when buying a used Vauxhall Astra?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre insufficient tread; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Low beam incorrectly adjusted. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Vauxhall models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Wikimedia Commons (licence).