How reliable is the Vauxhall Combo-E compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Vauxhall Combo-E, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 80.4% across 1,182 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Vauxhall Combo-E?

The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 42.2% of failed Vauxhall Combo-E tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Vauxhall Combo-E?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 21.9% of all Vauxhall Combo-E tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Vauxhall Combo-E usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 20,077 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Model reliability file

Vauxhall Combo-E MOT pass rate & common failures

From 1,182 recorded MOT tests of the Vauxhall Combo-E, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 1,182 MOT tests, 80.4% of Vauxhall Combo-E tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Vauxhall Combo-E fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is tyre seriously damaged, which appears in 42.2% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 20,077 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

80.4%unadjusted, not comparable1,182 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Combo-E. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 1,182 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

Electric car

How the Combo-E compares with other electric cars

At 3 to 5 years old the Vauxhall Combo-E passes 80.3% of MOT tests, from 1,163 tests in that age band. Petrol and diesel cars of the same age pass 89.9%, so this model sits 9.6 points below that baseline. Among electric cars it ranks 40 of 43.

There is no emissions test for an electric car and the MOT does not check the battery. Electric cars as a group fail slightly more often than same-age petrol cars, almost entirely on tyres and suspension, because they are heavier and deliver full torque instantly.

Every electric car ranked, and what fails · What the MOT tests on an electric car

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Vauxhall Combo-E tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A tyre seriously damaged42.2%
62 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen27.2%
40 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements16.3%
24 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn9.5%
14 occurrencesBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen8.2%
12 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED8.2%
12 occurrencesHeadlamp not working explained
7.A tyre cords visible or damaged6.8%
10 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
8.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm6.8%
10 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements4.8%
7 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
10.A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps4.8%
7 occurrencesLamp not working explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Vauxhall Combo-E tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements21.9%
259 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured14.1%
166 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged5.0%
59 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Nail in tyre3.4%
40 tests
5.A tyre seriously damaged3.4%
40 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements2.8%
33 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
7.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake1.4%
16 testsBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
8.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution1.0%
12 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Vauxhall Combo-E

The 17 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

What gets tested

The Combo-E fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 20,077
Fuel mix of tested cars: Electric100.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (5)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

COMBO-E 2300 DYNAMIC
COMBO-E 2300 PRIME
COMBO-E 2300 PRO
COMBO-E 2300 SPORTIVE
COMBO-E LIFE SE

Check a specific Vauxhall Combo-E

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Vauxhall models

Vauxhall Corsa — 64.4% adjusted
Vauxhall Astra — 71.0% adjusted
Vauxhall Mokka — 68.6% adjusted
Vauxhall Vivaro — 62.2% adjusted
Vauxhall Insignia — 72.5% adjusted
Vauxhall Zafira — 66.0% adjusted
All Vauxhall models

Common questions

How reliable is the Vauxhall Combo-E compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Vauxhall Combo-E, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 80.4% across 1,182 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Vauxhall Combo-E?: The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 42.2% of failed Vauxhall Combo-E tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Vauxhall Combo-E?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 21.9% of all Vauxhall Combo-E tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Vauxhall Combo-E usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 20,077 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.