Chevrolet
Spark
26,984 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Sparks pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.7 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
65.8%
Pass-after-fix
7.2%
Fail
26.4%
Avg miles
69,301
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
The picture
Chevrolet Spark: challenging MOT record across 20,894 tests
The Chevrolet Spark is a petrol-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 20,894 tests puts this car on a 65.6% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 65,545 miles. The most common fail item is brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, followed by failed number plate light.
Honest John owner records point to body corrosion, particularly on lower panels as the recurring problems to check before buying used.
The Spark's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 3–9
A low-group car — among the cheapest to insure in the UK. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
3–9
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
2,020 occurrences · 7.5% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,991 occurrences · 7.4% of tests
- 03
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,174 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 04
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
973 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 05
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
759 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
732 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
715 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
689 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 09
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
542 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade defective
461 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£56–£160
If every one of this Spark's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Motor World Chevrolet Spark 2010- Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
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Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Recent owner-reported faults
- 3 Feb 2015
Apparently bonnet catches of Chevrolet Sparks sold in Europe from 2009-2014 are prone to fail. Under certain conditions, corrosion may cause the secondary hood latch striker to stick in the open position. In case the primary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. The affected vehicles were manufactured with a secondary hood latch that may prematurely corrode at the latch pivot, causing the striker to get stuck out of position and preventing the striker from properly engaging the hood latch. GM is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities as a result of this condition.Customers will be notified in line with European legal requirements. Spark customers are advised to check the locking status of the hood prior to driving their vehicle. Contacts: Customers can visit Chevrolet’s Customer Care page to find the phone number of your country’s Chevrolet representatives. However, this is not on the UK VOSA recalls list:http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/search.asp More here [http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/10/chevrolet-europe-announces-2009-20014-spark-recall/#ix
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 1 reports indexed
Buying or keeping a Spark?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Spark and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.