Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 72,530 tests analysed

Vauxhall Corsa 2016: reliability & common MOT faults

24,396 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2016 Vauxhall Corsa in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Track rod end (front) was the most common reason a 2016 Corsa failed its MOT — 25.9% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

66.4%

of 72,530 first tests (2025)

First tests

72,530

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

24,396

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

66.4%

of 72,530 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

71.2%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

72,530

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 9.0 yrs · median mileage 58,547 mi

vs 2024: -3.8 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 24,392 of 24,396 failed first attempts that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Track rod end (front) — 25.9% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 6,323 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 7.7× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. On this year it is also the commonest failure, so it answers both questions at once. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 6,323 ×7.7 25.9% Strong
Electronic stability control
Brakes > ABS / EBS / ESC > Electronic stability control
 Any 852 ×4.7 3.5% Likely
Coil spring (front)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Front 4,722 ×4.2 19.4% Likely
Shock absorbers (front)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Front 1,479 ×3.7 6.1% Likely
Malfunction indicator lamp
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Spark ignition > Malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 1,782 ×2.5 7.3% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Ball joint
 Front 60 ×12 0.2% Possible
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Pins and bushes
 Front 845 ×9.4 3.5% Strong
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
 Front 37 ×5.0 0.2% Likely
Attachment bracket and mounting (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Attachment bracket and mounting
 Front 63 ×4.9 0.3% Likely
Shock absorbers (front)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Front 2,752 ×4.7 11.3% Likely
Sub-frame condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Sub-frame > Sub-frame condition
 Front 43 ×4.4 0.2% Possible
Sub-frame (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame
 Front 717 ×4.1 2.9% Strong
Parking brake control — Lever
Brakes > Parking brake control > Lever
 Any 46 ×3.2 0.2% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

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

Nothing separates this year from the Corsas either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2016 Corsas, commonest first.

Other Corsa years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2020 Corsa +3.6 pp better 84.7% 43,640
2015 Corsa +1.7 pp better 63.2% 83,121
2019 Corsa +1.5 pp better 80.1% 51,441
2013 Corsa +1.4 pp better 58.1% 66,425
2014 Corsa -4.0 pp worse 56.7% 69,021
2018 Corsa -1.5 pp worse 72.7% 51,156
2017 Corsa -1.4 pp worse 68.1% 49,963

What to check on a 2016 Corsa

The items that failed 2016 Corsas most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Track rod end (front) — recorded on 25.9% of failed first attempts
  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 19.4% of failed first attempts
  • Malfunction indicator lamp — recorded on 7.3% of failed first attempts
  • Tread depth (front) — recorded on 6.4% of failed first attempts
  • Shock absorbers (front) — recorded on 6.1% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. 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.

Track rod end (front) was the most common reason a 2016 Corsa failed its MOT — 25.9% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 66.4% of 72,530 first MOTs on the 2016 Vauxhall Corsa passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 71.2%. Among 24,396 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Track rod end (front) appears more often tha…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2016 Vauxhall Corsas most often at the first attempt were Track rod end (front) (25.9%), Coil spring (front) (19.4%) and Malfunction indicator lamp (7.3%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults tabl…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Track rod end (front) (25.9% of those tests; 6,323 observed failures; about 7.7× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Track rod end (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (25.9% of those tests; 6,323 observed failures; about 7.7× 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 check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2016 Vauxhall Corsa include Track rod end (front), Electronic stability control, Coil spring (front). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an 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 2016 Vauxhall Corsa (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.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

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

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