Vauxhall
Vectra
59,691 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Vectras pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.9 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
65.6%
Pass-after-fix
5.1%
Fail
28.3%
Avg miles
118,534
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Generations on file · 2
Vauxhall Vectra · UK market
1995–2002
2002–2009
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Vauxhall Vectra: challenging MOT record across 52,378 tests
The Vauxhall Vectra 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 52,378 tests puts this car on a 65.2% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 117,186 miles. The most common fail item is fractured or weakened suspension spring, followed by failed number plate light.
The Vectra'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 14–26
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 →
14–26
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
3,013 occurrences · 5.0% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
2,751 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 03
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
2,523 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2,173 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 05
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
2,158 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 06
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
1,911 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 07
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,730 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,708 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 09
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,678 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
1,417 occurrences · 2.4% 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 5 failures
£148–£525
If every one of this Vectra'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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Build your own retest budget.
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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
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
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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.
Recall history
5 UK recalls on record.
The Vectra has 5 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Vectra?
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 Vectra 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.