Chevrolet Spark MOT failures and reliability
In 2023 the Chevrolet Spark took 15,779 MOT tests in Britain and passed 55% of them first time, below the national average of 71% for all cars. The figures below come from the DVSA's record of every test, so they show what testers actually found on these cars rather than what owners report.
- MOT tests in 2023
- 15,779
- First-time pass rate
- 55%
- All cars
- 71%
What the Spark fails on
Share of tests with at least one failure in each area, against the figure for all cars.
- Lights and electrics22.4% (all cars 11.3%)
- Brakes17.3% (all cars 6.8%)
- Suspension13.4% (all cars 9.0%)
- Visibility8.5% (all cars 4.8%)
- Tyres7.0% (all cars 6.4%)
- Body and structure4.7% (all cars 3.5%)
- Exhaust and emissions2.8% (all cars 3.1%)
- Steering1.7% (all cars 1.8%)
Most common failure items
Share of tests on which each item was recorded.
- Position lamp: not working 8.5%
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded 6.7%
- Stop lamp: not working 6.5%
- Service brake performance: excessively binding 6.4%
- Coil spring: fractured or broken 5.3%
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively 4.5%
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam 4.3%
- Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 3.6%
Most common advisories
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material 28.1%
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 19.2%
- Tyres, condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing 11.4%
- Service brake performance: binding but not excessively 8.6%
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive 7.7%
- Macpherson strut, pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement 5.8%
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened 5.4%
- Brake pads: wearing thin 5.0%
Pass rate by year of registration
Older cars fail more often whatever the model, so compare a car with others of the same age.
| First registered | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 3,350 | 57% |
| 2011 | 3,882 | 55% |
| 2012 | 3,786 | 54% |
| 2013 | 3,962 | 55% |
| 2014 | 785 | 59% |
Typical mileage by age
Average odometer reading at the MOT, by the car's age in years at the test.
| Age at test | Average mileage |
|---|---|
| 9 years | 50,145 miles |
| 10 years | 61,793 miles |
| 11 years | 65,640 miles |
| 12 years | 67,093 miles |
| 13 years | 68,409 miles |
Check a particular Spark
Model figures tell you what to look out for. To see one car's own MOT history, mileage and tax, enter its registration.
Other Chevrolet models
- Chevrolet Matiz
- Chevrolet Aveo
- Chevrolet Captiva
- Chevrolet Cruze
- Chevrolet Orlando
- Chevrolet Kalos
- Chevrolet Lacetti
- Chevrolet Trax
Source: Department for Transport, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023, cars and light vans, normal tests only. Pass rates are first-time passes; a pass after repair at the test station counts as a fail. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.