Chevrolet Cruze Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Chevrolet Cruze fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 9,129 MOT tests across 6 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, LPG
76%
Chevrolet Cruze pass rate
76%
Chevrolet average
82%
All-model average
The Chevrolet Cruze has an average MOT pass rate of 76%, which is equal to the Chevrolet average and 6 points below the average across all models in our data. The Chevrolet Cruze has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 2 percentage points.
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What the Chevrolet Cruze Fails Its MOT On
Of the 1,836 MOT tests on the Chevrolet Cruze that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
46%Cars and vans the same age: 43% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
34%Cars and vans the same age: 39% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 23% · Typical repair £80-£450
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
21%Cars and vans the same age: 11% (the Cruze fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Tyres
18%Cars and vans the same age: 19% · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (21% of failed tests, suspension)
- Position lamp: not working (18% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Engine warning lamp (petrol) on or not working (10% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Chevrolet Cruze Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Cruze year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Chevrolet Cruze Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
Chevrolet Cruze Running Costs
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Chevrolet Cruze FAQ
What are the most common Chevrolet Cruze problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Chevrolet Cruze that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (46% of the 1,836 failed tests), suspension (34%) and brakes (23%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (21%). Across 9,129 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 76% ended in a pass.
Is the Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
The Chevrolet Cruze has an average MOT pass rate of 76%, from 9,129 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2012 (75% of 2,774 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars) and the 2013 (76% of 2,176 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Chevrolet Cruze faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Chevrolet Cruze typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Chevrolet Models
Common problems pages for other Chevrolet models