2008 Alfa Romeo 159 MOT pass rate: 59.5% (1,978 tests)

2008-registered Alfa Romeo 159s passed 59.5% of 1,978 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 5.7 points worse than same-age cars (65.1%).

59.5%Pass rate, 2008 cars

94.3Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

1,978Tests analysed

124,640 miMedian mileage at test

62.1% / 59.0%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2008 159 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2008-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	59.2% -6.2 vs same-age
2024	60.2% -4.6 vs same-age
2025	59.0% -6.1 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2008 159

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	729	27.3%
2	Brakes	582	21.8%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	354	13.2%
4	Tyres	279	10.4%
5	Body, chassis, structure	232	8.7%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	185	6.9%

All 159 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2007	1,955	60.5%	-4.6 pts	115,890
2008 (this page)	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

Buying a 2008 159? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
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

FAQs

Is a 2008 Alfa Romeo 159 reliable?

2008-registered examples passed 59.5% of their MOT tests (1,978 tests, 2023–2025), -5.7 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 18 years old with a median 124,640 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2008 159?

The median tested example shows 124,640 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.