1988 Vauxhall Cavalier — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

54.5%

Latest Pass Rate

1,799

Total Tests (All Years)

47,654 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier as it ages.

21 yrs49.5%

→ ↓3.6%

22 yrs45.9%

→ ↑4.7%

23 yrs50.6%

→ ↑2.8%

24 yrs53.4%

→ ↑5.1%

25 yrs58.5%

→ ↑4.9%

26 yrs63.4%

→ ↑0.3%

27 yrs63.7%

→ ↑8.5%

28 yrs72.2%

→ ↓8.3%

29 yrs63.9%

→ ↑7.8%

30 yrs71.7%

→ ↑2.8%

31 yrs74.5%

→ ↓5.7%

32 yrs68.8%

→ ↑16.4%

33 yrs85.2%

→ ↓11.5%

34 yrs73.7%

→ ↑7.7%

35 yrs81.4%

→ ↓26.9%

36 yrs54.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	49.5%	295
22 yrs	45.9%	220
23 yrs	50.6%	178
24 yrs	53.4%	148
25 yrs	58.5%	130
26 yrs	63.4%	112
27 yrs	63.7%	102
28 yrs	72.2%	108
29 yrs	63.9%	83
30 yrs	71.7%	53
31 yrs	74.5%	51
32 yrs	68.8%	48
33 yrs	85.2%	54
34 yrs	73.7%	57
35 yrs	81.4%	59
36 yrs	54.5%	101

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	54.5%	101
2023 (35 yrs)	81.4%	59
2022 (34 yrs)	73.7%	57
2021 (33 yrs)	85.2%	54
2020 (32 yrs)	68.8%	48
2019 (31 yrs)	74.5%	51
2018 (30 yrs)	71.7%	53
2017 (29 yrs)	63.9%	83
2016 (28 yrs)	72.2%	108
2015 (27 yrs)	63.7%	102
2014 (26 yrs)	63.4%	112
2013 (25 yrs)	58.5%	130
2012 (24 yrs)	53.4%	148
2011 (23 yrs)	50.6%	178
2010 (22 yrs)	45.9%	220
2009 (21 yrs)	49.5%	295

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 295Avg Mileage 60,519Top Failure Suspension — 33.2%

2010High Fail Rate

45.9%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 220Avg Mileage 63,587Top Failure Suspension — 31.4%

2011High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 178Avg Mileage 70,135Top Failure Suspension — 37.6%

2012High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 148Avg Mileage 62,882Top Failure Suspension — 27.0%

2013High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 130Avg Mileage 72,171Top Failure Suspension — 51.5%

2014High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 112Avg Mileage 67,757Top Failure Suspension — 54.5%

2015High Fail Rate

63.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 102Avg Mileage 57,764Top Failure Brakes — 41.2%

2016

72.2%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 108Avg Mileage 57,588Top Failure Suspension — 44.4%

2017High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 83Avg Mileage 51,358Top Failure Suspension — 51.8%

2018

71.7%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 53Avg Mileage 51,809Top Failure Suspension — 43.4%

2019

74.5%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 51Avg Mileage 63,310Top Failure Suspension — 68.6%

2020

68.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 48Avg Mileage 53,019Top Failure Suspension — 50.0%

2021

85.2%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 54Avg Mileage 57,962Top Failure Suspension — 27.8%

2022

73.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 57Avg Mileage 58,706Top Failure Suspension — 47.4%

2023

81.4%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 59Avg Mileage 52,739Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.7%

2024High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 101Avg Mileage 47,654Top Failure Suspension — 33.7%

MOT results for 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	49.5%	295	60,519	Suspension — 33.2%
2010	22	45.9%	220	63,587	Suspension — 31.4%
2011	23	50.6%	178	70,135	Suspension — 37.6%
2012	24	53.4%	148	62,882	Suspension — 27.0%
2013	25	58.5%	130	72,171	Suspension — 51.5%
2014	26	63.4%	112	67,757	Suspension — 54.5%
2015	27	63.7%	102	57,764	Brakes — 41.2%
2016	28	72.2%	108	57,588	Suspension — 44.4%
2017	29	63.9%	83	51,358	Suspension — 51.8%
2018	30	71.7%	53	51,809	Suspension — 43.4%
2019	31	74.5%	51	63,310	Suspension — 68.6%
2020	32	68.8%	48	53,019	Suspension — 50.0%
2021	33	85.2%	54	57,962	Suspension — 27.8%
2022	34	73.7%	57	58,706	Suspension — 47.4%
2023	35	81.4%	59	52,739	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.7%
2024	36	54.5%	101	47,654	Suspension — 33.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 Vauxhall Cavalier, with age trends.

Suspension

40.6%

— Consistent

Brakes

27.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

20.1%

— Consistent

Body, Structure and General Items

19.9%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	20.0% (21 yrs)	15.8% (36 yrs)	-4.2%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	33.2% (21 yrs)	33.7% (36 yrs)	+0.5%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Vauxhall Cavalier page →

About This Data

This page shows how Vauxhall Cavalier cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,799 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.