Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 172,421 tests

Pass rate climbs 10.9 points across the cohorts — newer Combo examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 123,872

Pass

65.6%

Fail

28.0%

PRS

5.6%

Avg mileage at test

114,341 mi

2018–2020 cohort 46,285

Pass

76.1%

Fail

16.0%

PRS

7.2%

Avg mileage at test

55,188 mi

2021+ cohort 2,264

Pass

76.5%

Fail

14.3%

PRS

8.7%

Avg mileage at test

44,016 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Vauxhall Combo: challenging MOT record across 131,599 tests

The Vauxhall Combo is a diesel-powered van sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.

MOT data from 131,599 tests puts this van on a 67.6% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 95,046 miles. The most common fail item is cracked or discoloured windscreen, followed by fractured or weakened suspension spring.

The Combo'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 van trips on most.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 13–20

Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →

13–20

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

9,754 occurrences · 5.7% of tests
02

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

8,890 occurrences · 5.2% of tests
03

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

6,208 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
04

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

4,742 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
05

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

4,612 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
06

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

4,048 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
07

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

3,561 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
08

A tyre cords visible or damaged

3,508 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
09

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

3,186 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
10

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

3,177 occurrences · 1.8% 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 4 failures

£168–£415

If every one of this Combo'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 →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 10.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy Vauxhall Combo has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

76.5%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 76.5% — a 10.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 44,016 miles — roughly 70K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, does not clear the windscreen effectively — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

65.6%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 65.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 76.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, and fractured or broken. Average mileage on test for this band is 114,341 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (76.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (65.6% pass). That's a 10.9-point spread across 123,872 older tests and 2,264 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

H7 / W21W bulb pack

A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

Item 03 · Amazon UK

Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades

Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit

Summit ADRG-13 Vauxhall Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£9.89

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-25 Vauxhall Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£10.99

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-32 Vauxhall Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£12.09

View at My Motor World →

Summit

Summit ADRG-43 Vauxhall Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£12.09

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

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Recall history

24 UK recalls on record.

The Combo has 24 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Combo?

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 Combo 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.