2015 Vauxhall Zafira — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 88,204 MOT tests analysed for the 2015 Vauxhall Zafira, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 82.4% was below the average for MPVs of a similar age (83.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 20.7% in the 150k+ group versus 9.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.1% | 6,251 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 5,621 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.2% | 4,622 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.6% | 4,065 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.4% | 3,843 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 2,755 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 3,366 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,201 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,466 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 2,118 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,975 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,905 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 29.3% | 25,820 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.7% | 18,245 |
| 3 | Other defects | 12.6% | 11,100 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.8% | 8,622 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 6,722 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 4,686 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 4,778 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 32,010 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 32,502 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 12,771 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 3,735 | 21.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,379 | 20.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 47,835 | 18.3% |
| Petrol | 40,369 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,605 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 17,823 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 17,900 | 18.0% |
| 2024 | 17,609 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 17,267 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Zafira
Before buying a 2015 Vauxhall Zafira, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 7.1% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (7.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (6.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2015 Vauxhall Zafiras pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 88,204 2015 Vauxhall Zafira MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Vauxhall Zafira?
Tyres, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.4%).
Does the 2015 Zafira get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 20.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 88,204 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.