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Vauxhall Astra body and structure problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 218,927 MOT tests · Updated

At 12 years, 5.4 in 100 MOT tests of the Vauxhall Astra failed on body and structure, against 4.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 218,927 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: fails 1.2–1.3× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 11,718 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 23 ages from 3 to 25 years, 2,724,083 MOT tests
  • Most common fail: Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases, 2.5 per 100 MOT tests

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

5.4 fails per 100 MOT tests at 12 years, against 4.3 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 12 (all test years). The Vauxhall Astra fails more often here.

Why it matters

A body and structure fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

Vauxhall Astra body and structure fails by age

Vauxhall Astra body and structure fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Vauxhall Astra. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.05103 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 37,394 MOT tests34 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 64,768 MOT tests5 years: 0.6 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 105,212 MOT tests56 years: 0.8 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 156,300 MOT tests7 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 1.3), 182,741 MOT tests78 years: 2.0 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 205,573 MOT tests9 years: 2.6 per 100 (all cars 2.3), 218,838 MOT tests910 years: 3.6 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 215,952 MOT tests11 years: 4.5 per 100 (all cars 3.5), 216,250 MOT tests1112 years: 5.4 per 100 (all cars 4.3), 218,927 MOT tests13 years: 5.9 per 100 (all cars 5.0), 197,340 MOT tests1314 years: 6.3 per 100 (all cars 5.9), 186,790 MOT tests15 years: 6.6 per 100 (all cars 6.7), 181,492 MOT tests1516 years: 6.9 per 100 (all cars 7.6), 153,429 MOT tests17 years: 7.1 per 100 (all cars 8.3), 125,477 MOT tests1718 years: 7.6 per 100 (all cars 8.7), 89,709 MOT tests19 years: 7.7 per 100 (all cars 9.0), 58,909 MOT tests1920 years: 8.4 per 100 (all cars 9.2), 40,355 MOT tests21 years: 8.8 per 100 (all cars 9.3), 27,192 MOT tests2122 years: 9.7 per 100 (all cars 9.4), 19,128 MOT tests23 years: 9.9 per 100 (all cars 9.5), 11,904 MOT tests2324 years: 9.3 per 100 (all cars 9.4), 6,538 MOT tests25 years: 10.0 per 100 (all cars 9.3), 3,865 MOT tests25
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Vauxhall Astra All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
337,3940.30.3
464,7680.50.3
5105,2120.60.5
6156,3000.80.8
7182,7411.31.3
8205,5732.01.8
9218,8382.62.3
10215,9523.62.9
11216,2504.53.5
12218,9275.44.3
13197,3405.95.0
14186,7906.35.9
15181,4926.66.7
16153,4296.97.6
17125,4777.18.3
1889,7097.68.7
19*58,9097.79.0
20*40,3558.49.2
21*27,1928.89.3
22*19,1289.79.4
23*11,9049.99.5
24*6,5389.39.4
25*3,86510.09.3

All first-use years of the Vauxhall Astra pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the body and structure at 12 years

Fails

Advisories (not fails)

Replace leaking exhaust section cost

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
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See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 1.4 petrol: 5.7 per 100 at 12 years, fails 1.4–1.5× as often as petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 49,592 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 petrol: 6.2 per 100 at 12 years, fails 1.5–1.6× as often as petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 76,952 MOT tests)
  • 1.7 diesel: 5.6 per 100 at 12 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 41,678 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 diesel: 1.7 per 100 at 7 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 50,779 MOT tests)
  • 2.0 diesel: 3.2 per 100 at 12 years, fails less often than diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (0.7× (0.65–0.73×)) (all test years; 35,709 MOT tests)
  • 1.8 petrol: 5.5 per 100 at 12 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 4,635 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases.

Check one Vauxhall Astra, not the average

The figures here describe Vauxhall Astra cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Vauxhall Astra problems

Body and structure on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Vauxhall Astra have more body and structure problems than other cars?

1.2 to 1.3 times the body and structure fail rate of all class 4 vehicles the same age at 12 years (all test years), from 218,927 MOT tests. The interval is clear of 1.2 in the same direction at 4 of the 23 ages seen (ages up to 18 with at least 100 MOT tests with a fail).

How common are Vauxhall Astra body and structure problems?

5.4 in 100 MOT tests at 12 years failed on body and structure, against 4.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 218,927 MOT tests).

What is the most common Vauxhall Astra body and structure fail?

2.5 in 100 MOT tests at 12 years: Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases (5,380 MOT tests with it).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,724,083 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare