Alfa Romeo 159 MOT pass rate: 62.0% (2,810 tests, 2025)

The Alfa Romeo 159 passed 62.0% of its 2,810 MOT tests in 2025 — 15.5 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 16 years old with 118,921 miles on the clock.

62.0%Pass rate (2025)

2,810MOT tests analysed

118,921 miMedian mileage at test

16 yrsMedian age at test

How the 159 compares

Alfa Romeo 159

62.0%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Alfa Romeo average (all models)

72.2%

What fails most on the Alfa Romeo 159

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 159:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	970	28.6%
2	Brakes	684	20.2%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	559	16.5%
4	Tyres	353	10.4%
5	Body, chassis, structure	305	9.0%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	254	7.5%

Pre-MOT checklist for 159 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

159 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2007	1,955	60.5%	-4.6 pts	115,890
2008	1,978	59.5%	-5.7 pts	124,640
2009	2,189	62.1%	-4.3 pts	118,817
2010	1,964	61.4%	-6.0 pts	116,530

Check a specific 159 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Alfa Romeo models

Giulietta69.9% pass rate · 24,133 tests Mito66.3% pass rate · 17,175 tests Giulia87.9% pass rate · 6,074 tests Spider74.8% pass rate · 3,119 tests Stelvio88.8% pass rate · 2,845 tests Brera71.2% pass rate · 1,626 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Alfa Romeo 159?

In 2025, 62.0% of 2,810 first MOT tests on the Alfa Romeo 159 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 159 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (28.6% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Alfa Romeo 159 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 62.0% it performs below the national average at a median age of 16 years and 118,921 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.