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Vauxhall Combo body and structure problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 50,382 MOT tests · Updated

At 3 years, 1.3 in 100 MOT tests of the Vauxhall Combo failed on body and structure, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 50,382 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: fails 4.3–5.1× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 639 MOT tests with a fail
  • When it starts: clear of 1.2 times from 3 years and at every older age seen
  • Most common fail: Driveshaft CV boot split, 0.7 per 100 MOT tests

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

What the MOT tests show

What we know

1.3 fails per 100 MOT tests at 3 years, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 3 (all test years). The Vauxhall Combo 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.

The Vauxhall Combo is a commercial or van-based vehicle: it is compared with all class 4 vehicles, cars and vans together, so part of any difference can come from how vans are used.

Vauxhall Combo body and structure fails by age

Vauxhall Combo body and structure fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Vauxhall Combo. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.0510153 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 50,382 MOT tests34 years: 1.6 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 46,051 MOT tests5 years: 2.1 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 36,841 MOT tests56 years: 2.9 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 28,099 MOT tests7 years: 2.7 per 100 (all cars 1.3), 17,843 MOT tests78 years: 3.4 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 19,921 MOT tests9 years: 4.5 per 100 (all cars 2.3), 19,394 MOT tests910 years: 5.3 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 16,965 MOT tests11 years: 6.0 per 100 (all cars 3.5), 19,814 MOT tests1112 years: 6.3 per 100 (all cars 4.3), 22,370 MOT tests13 years: 7.4 per 100 (all cars 5.0), 23,186 MOT tests1314 years: 8.9 per 100 (all cars 5.9), 25,904 MOT tests15 years: 10.6 per 100 (all cars 6.7), 22,827 MOT tests1516 years: 11.8 per 100 (all cars 7.6), 19,627 MOT tests17 years: 12.3 per 100 (all cars 8.3), 17,233 MOT tests1718 years: 13.7 per 100 (all cars 8.7), 13,657 MOT tests19 years: 15.1 per 100 (all cars 9.0), 10,476 MOT tests1920 years: 15.3 per 100 (all cars 9.2), 6,806 MOT tests21 years: 16.5 per 100 (all cars 9.3), 3,908 MOT tests2122 years: 15.6 per 100 (all cars 9.4), 1,799 MOT tests
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Vauxhall Combo All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
350,3821.30.3
446,0511.60.3
536,8412.10.5
628,0992.90.8
717,8432.71.3
819,9213.41.8
919,3944.52.3
1016,9655.32.9
1119,8146.03.5
1222,3706.34.3
1323,1867.45.0
1425,9048.95.9
1522,82710.66.7
1619,62711.87.6
1717,23312.38.3
1813,65713.78.7
19*10,47615.19.0
20*6,80615.39.2
21*3,90816.59.3
22*1,79915.69.4

All first-use years of the Vauxhall Combo 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 3 years

Fails

Advisories (not fails)

Replace CV joint boot cost

Repair figures are estimates, not quotes: how we estimate repair costs.

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
  • Repairs ahead
  • Viewing checklist

See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 1.2 diesel: 8.8 per 100 at 14 years, fails 1.3–1.4× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 20,548 MOT tests)
  • 1.5 diesel: 1.4 per 100 at 3 years, fails 2.4–2.9× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 36,356 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 diesel: 1.3 per 100 at 3 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 7,788 MOT tests)
  • 1.7 diesel: 16.6 per 100 at 19 years, fails 1.5–1.6× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 6,429 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: Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot severely deteriorated.

Check one Vauxhall Combo, not the average

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

Other Vauxhall Combo problems

Body and structure on rival models

Questions people ask

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

4.3 to 5.1 times the body and structure fail rate of all class 4 vehicles the same age at 3 years (all test years), from 50,382 MOT tests. The interval is clear of 1.2 in the same direction at 16 of the 20 ages seen (ages up to 18 with at least 100 MOT tests with a fail).

How common are Vauxhall Combo body and structure problems?

1.3 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years failed on body and structure, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 50,382 MOT tests).

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

0.7 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years: Driveshaft CV boot split (358 MOT tests with it).

At what age do Vauxhall Combo body and structure fails start?

3 years: from then on the rate stays clear of 1.2 times all class 4 vehicles the same age at every age seen, 423,103 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 423,103 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, local price quotes (car repair items). ONS price quotes, series 610236. 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