Model Reports 5 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Vauxhall Agila 2009: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 54 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2009 Vauxhall Agila were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Coil spring (front).

Summary

The 2009 Vauxhall Agila follows the pattern of the model years either side.

At a glance

How 4,933 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
54 in every 100
Did not pass first time
46 in every 1002,284 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
16 yearsabout 67,096 miles
First tests counted
4,933

What failed most often

  1. Coil spring (front)18 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Suspension arm ball joint (front)15 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Brake performance (roller test, rear)12 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2009 Vauxhall Agila vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Suspension

Four faults. The strongest is the macpherson strut pins and bushes (front): 9.5 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 2,282 of 2,284 failed first attempts (99.9%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front)

Failed on 74 first tests9.5 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A suspension pin or bush that is excessively worn is graded Major. One likely to become detached is graded Dangerous. DVSA uses its general suspension pin, bush or joint wording here, not anything specific to a strut.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 148 first tests, 6.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Macpherson strut (front)

Failed on 85 first tests5.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Many MacPherson strut top bushes are designed to have significant lateral play when the suspension hangs free, so a top bush is rejected only when the play comes from wear or maladjustment. A top bush or bearing with excessive wear or free play is Major. Rubber or synthetic bushes are rejected only for serious deterioration of the bonding or flexible material.

Suspension arm ball joint (front)

Failed on 353 first tests2.9 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A suspension arm ball joint is failed under the general suspension pin, bush or joint wording. Excessively worn is Major, and likely to become detached is graded Dangerous.

Coil spring (front)

Failed on 407 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A missing bump stop rubber is not a reason to fail a coil spring. When the vehicle is jacked and lowered, a spring that does not correctly locate as the suspension returns to its normal running position is rejected as insecurely attached. A missing spring is Major, and graded Dangerous where directional control is affected.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Brakes

Six faults. The strongest is the brake hand lever: 4.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake hand lever

Failed on 46 first tests4.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A brake lever is failed for insufficient reserve only if it is touching the floor or handlebar. On motorcycle derived systems the lever may touch the handlebar, so the extent of reserve travel is assessed during the brake test. A lever not releasing correctly is Minor, and Major where the functionality of the brakes is affected.

Brake performance (plate test, rear)

Failed on 59 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Braking effort that is inadequate at a wheel, a brake grabbing severely and a binding brake are among the Major failures. A wheel with no recorded effort is graded Dangerous. If a vehicle fails any aspect of the plate test, the check should be repeated to confirm the result.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 46 first tests, 3.2 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake performance (roller test, rear)

Failed on 270 first tests3.5 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A wheel with no recorded braking effort on the roller test is graded Dangerous. Inadequate effort, a brake grabbing severely, abnormal lag and excessive fluctuation in effort are each Major. So is significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied, which indicates a binding brake.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 126 first tests, 2.0 times as often as on similar cars.

Handbrake lever

Failed on 57 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A parking brake lever pivot or ratchet mechanism that is obviously worn is graded Minor. It is Major when worn to the extent that the brake may inadvertently release, and also when the ratchet is not holding correctly. A lever must have obvious excessive travel before being rejected.

Rigid brake pipes (rear)

Failed on 118 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe justifies rejection once its wall thickness is reduced by a set amount, although DVSA accepts this is not easy to determine. If a tester is not sure, the benefit of the doubt applies. A leaking pipe or connection is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic system and Major on an air system.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 408 first tests, 3.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Rigid brake pipes (front)

Failed on 61 first tests2.6 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe justifies rejection once its wall thickness is reduced by a set amount, although DVSA accepts this is not easy to determine. If a tester is not sure, the benefit of the doubt applies. A leaking pipe or connection is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic system and Major on an air system.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 237 first tests, 3.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Individual direction indicators (rear)

Noted on 115 first tests3.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Transmission oil leaks

Noted on 69 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Flexible brake hoses (rear)

Noted on 123 first tests2.7 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Chassis condition (rear)

Noted on 31 first tests2.3 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
54in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
6in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
40in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 53.7% of 4,933 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 59.7%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 6 fixed and the 40 not fixed make the 46 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsTypical mileagePassed first time, as testedPassed first time, same mileage
Petrol4,58766,106 miles5454
Diesel34681,524 miles4851

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Cars with more miles usually fail more often, so the same-mileage figure gives every fuel the mileage mix of all the cars in this year.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

40608010020052009Older carsNewer cars
4060801002009Older carsNewer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 55 in every 100 passed first time.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
200156 in every 100437
200259 in every 100545
200359 in every 1001,053
200459 in every 100925
200560 in every 100997
200659 in every 100958
200762 in every 100882
200851 in every 1002,620
2009 This car54 in every 1004,933
201058 in every 1003,497
201159 in every 1003,994
201262 in every 1003,792
201367 in every 1003,332
201472 in every 1003,347

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage matters most on a 2009 Agila.

Of 2009 Agila vehicles with under 44,000 miles, 69 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 95,000 miles or more, 43 in every 100 did.

Under 44,000987 tests
69
44,000–60,000998 tests
56
60,000–75,000 Typical car987 tests
53
75,000–95,000983 tests
48
95,000 and over976 tests
43

Petrol or diesel?

Typical mileagePassed first time,
as tested		Passed first time,
same mileage
Petrol66,106 miles5454
Diesel81,524 miles4851

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Petrol cars look better on the raw figures only because diesel cars have done more miles (typically 81,524 against 66,106). At the same mileage there is no clear difference between the two.

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 44,00060,000–75,00095,000 and over
Coil spring (front)6.98.69.6
Suspension arm ball joint (front)2.59.010.2
Brake performance (roller test, rear)5.05.25.4
Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test)1.34.98.9
Suspension arm pins and bushes (front)2.03.94.9

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

27in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

48in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

9in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

The 2009 Vauxhall Agila follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Coil spring (front), about 18 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 53.7% of 4,933 first MOTs on the 2009 Vauxhall Agila passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 59.7%. Among 2,284 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front) appears more often than on similar cars (3.2% of those tests; 74 observed failures; about 9.5× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2009 Vauxhall Agila at the first attempt were Coil spring (front) (17.8%), Suspension arm ball joint (front) (15.5%) and Brake performance (roller test, rear) (11.8%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front) (3.2% of those tests; 74 observed failures; about 9.5× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (3.2% of those tests; 74 observed failures; about 9.5× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2009 Vauxhall Agila include Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front), Macpherson strut (front), Brake hand lever. These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2009 Vauxhall Agila (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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