MOT data by first-use year
2005 Vauxhall Tigra: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,480 MOT tests · Updated
47.2% of 2005 Vauxhall Tigra cars failed their MOT at 18 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2006 cars (2,480 MOT tests) [1].
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- +5.2 to +3.9 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 17 to 18 years, 2,480 MOT tests
- Handbrake too weak: fails 2.4–3.0× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age at 18 years, 4,005 MOT tests of Vauxhall Tigra cars first used 2004–2007
- 90,000 to 120,000 miles: 53.7% of Vauxhall Tigra cars first used 2004–2007 failed at 18 years, against 50.3% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles, 2,642 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2005 Vauxhall Tigra cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 18 years (2023)
- 47.2%
- vs 43.3% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2023
- 1,078 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- +4.7 pts
- over ages 17–18: +3.9 to +5.2 pts
- 2,480 MOT tests
- Against the 2006 cars
- −0.5 pts
- 95% range −4.2 to +3.1 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 2,480 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2005 cars
- 2,480
- tested 2022–2023, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,480 MOT tests
About the same as the 2006 cars: −0.5 points at the same ages (17–18), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −4.2 to +3.1, from 2,480 MOT tests of 2005 cars and 3,338 of the 2006 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Vauxhall Tigra year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2005 Vauxhall Tigra fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2023, as these cars went from 17 to 18 years old, the fail rate went from 49.1% to 47.2%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from +5.2 to +3.9 points. The widest gap was at 17 years (+5.2 points, 1,402 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17 years | 49.1% | 46.5%–51.8% | 1,402 | 43.9% | +5.2 pts |
| 2023 | 18 years | 47.2% | 44.3%–50.2% | 1,078 | 43.3% | +3.9 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2005 against the 2006 cars, age by age
| Age | 2005 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 17 years | 49.1% 1,402 MOT tests, tested 2022 | 2006: 48.2% (1,855, tested 2023) |
| 18 years | 47.2% 1,078 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2006: 49.0% (1,483, tested 2024) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Vauxhall Tigra at 18 years
All Vauxhall Tigra MOTs at 18 years, cars first used 2004–2007 (4,005 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: handbrake too weak (7.5 per 100 MOT tests), coil spring broken (6.7 per 100 MOT tests) and driveshaft CV boot split (5.8 per 100 MOT tests).
Handbrake too weak: fails 2.4–3.0× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age, across at least 3 ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 18 years
Vauxhall Tigra cars first used 2004–2007 at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed 53.7% of MOTs at 18 years (1,039 MOT tests), against 50.3% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (1,603 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 46.3% and 41.7%.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2005 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2005 was issued a 54 (January–February), 05 (March–August) or 55 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 05 plates
A 2005 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2] Car tax calculator for a 2005 petrol car
For the London ULEZ, a 2005 petrol may or may not meet Euro 4. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying a Vauxhall Tigra? Check that exact car before the viewing.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2005 Vauxhall Tigra?
47.2% at 18 years (tested 2023), from 1,078 MOT tests, against 43.3% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2023.
Does the 2005 Vauxhall Tigra fail more MOTs than the 2006?
0.5 percentage points apart at the same ages (17–18), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 2,480 MOT tests (95% range −4.2 to +3.1), so about the same.
At what ages were 2005 Vauxhall Tigra cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 17–18 years, tested 2022–2023, 2,480 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Vauxhall Tigra at 18 years?
7.5 in 100 MOT tests failed on handbrake too weak, the most common fail item. From 4,005 MOT tests of Vauxhall Tigra cars first used 2004–2007, not only 2005.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,480 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 18 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 18 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare