1989 Vauxhall Cavalier — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

82.4%

Latest Pass Rate

2,559

Total Tests (All Years)

104,453 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 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier as it ages.

20 yrs46.9%

→ ↑3.3%

21 yrs50.2%

→ ↓1.0%

22 yrs49.2%

→ ↑5.0%

23 yrs54.2%

→ ↑3.4%

24 yrs57.6%

→ ↓2.8%

25 yrs54.8%

→ ↑5.6%

26 yrs60.4%

→ ↓0.8%

27 yrs59.6%

→ ↓5.3%

28 yrs54.3%

→ ↑27.1%

29 yrs81.4%

→ ↓26.6%

30 yrs54.8%

→ ↑29.8%

31 yrs84.6%

→ ↓13.9%

32 yrs70.7%

→ ↑14.6%

33 yrs85.3%

→ ↓12.8%

34 yrs72.5%

→ ↑9.9%

35 yrs82.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	46.9%	685
21 yrs	50.2%	450
22 yrs	49.2%	311
23 yrs	54.2%	238
24 yrs	57.6%	172
25 yrs	54.8%	126
26 yrs	60.4%	106
27 yrs	59.6%	94
28 yrs	54.3%	70
29 yrs	81.4%	43
30 yrs	54.8%	42
31 yrs	84.6%	39
32 yrs	70.7%	41
33 yrs	85.3%	34
34 yrs	72.5%	40
35 yrs	82.4%	68

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	82.4%	68
2023 (34 yrs)	72.5%	40
2022 (33 yrs)	85.3%	34
2021 (32 yrs)	70.7%	41
2020 (31 yrs)	84.6%	39
2019 (30 yrs)	54.8%	42
2018 (29 yrs)	81.4%	43
2017 (28 yrs)	54.3%	70
2016 (27 yrs)	59.6%	94
2015 (26 yrs)	60.4%	106
2014 (25 yrs)	54.8%	126
2013 (24 yrs)	57.6%	172
2012 (23 yrs)	54.2%	238
2011 (22 yrs)	49.2%	311
2010 (21 yrs)	50.2%	450
2009 (20 yrs)	46.9%	685

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

46.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 685Avg Mileage 97,591Top Failure Suspension — 34.7%

2010High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 450Avg Mileage 97,070Top Failure Suspension — 36.0%

2011High Fail Rate

49.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 311Avg Mileage 95,342Top Failure Suspension — 30.5%

2012High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 238Avg Mileage 94,219Top Failure Suspension — 29.4%

2013High Fail Rate

57.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 172Avg Mileage 98,622Top Failure Suspension — 57.0%

2014High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 126Avg Mileage 95,554Top Failure Suspension — 73.8%

2015High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 106Avg Mileage 95,960Top Failure Suspension — 53.8%

2016High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 94Avg Mileage 96,016Top Failure Suspension — 58.5%

2017High Fail Rate

54.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 70Avg Mileage 98,572Top Failure Suspension — 65.7%

2018

81.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 43Avg Mileage 96,639Top Failure Brakes — 39.5%

2019High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 42Avg Mileage 99,082Top Failure Suspension — 85.7%

2020

84.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 39Avg Mileage 95,667Top Failure Suspension — 25.6%

2021

70.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 41Avg Mileage 107,547Top Failure Suspension — 39.0%

2022

85.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 34Avg Mileage 98,269Top Failure Brakes — 35.3%

2023

72.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 40Avg Mileage 102,646Top Failure Suspension — 40.0%

2024

82.4%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 68Avg Mileage 104,453Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%

MOT results for 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	46.9%	685	97,591	Suspension — 34.7%
2010	21	50.2%	450	97,070	Suspension — 36.0%
2011	22	49.2%	311	95,342	Suspension — 30.5%
2012	23	54.2%	238	94,219	Suspension — 29.4%
2013	24	57.6%	172	98,622	Suspension — 57.0%
2014	25	54.8%	126	95,554	Suspension — 73.8%
2015	26	60.4%	106	95,960	Suspension — 53.8%
2016	27	59.6%	94	96,016	Suspension — 58.5%
2017	28	54.3%	70	98,572	Suspension — 65.7%
2018	29	81.4%	43	96,639	Brakes — 39.5%
2019	30	54.8%	42	99,082	Suspension — 85.7%
2020	31	84.6%	39	95,667	Suspension — 25.6%
2021	32	70.7%	41	107,547	Suspension — 39.0%
2022	33	85.3%	34	98,269	Brakes — 35.3%
2023	34	72.5%	40	102,646	Suspension — 40.0%
2024	35	82.4%	68	104,453	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier, with age trends.

Suspension

44.3%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

27.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

21.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.8%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

16.3%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	12.6% (20 yrs)	2.9% (35 yrs)	-9.7%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	19.0% (20 yrs)	11.8% (35 yrs)	-7.2%	🟢 ↓

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,559 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.