Chevrolet Kalos Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Chevrolet Kalos 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 4,772 MOT tests across 4 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol
66%
Chevrolet Kalos pass rate
76%
Chevrolet average
82%
All-model average
The Chevrolet Kalos has an average MOT pass rate of 66%, which is 10 points below the Chevrolet average and 16 points below the average across all models in our data. The Chevrolet Kalos has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 2 percentage points.
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What the Chevrolet Kalos Fails Its MOT On
Of the 972 MOT tests on the Chevrolet Kalos 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
48%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
46%Cars and vans the same age: 41% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
36%Cars and vans the same age: 27% (the Kalos fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
21%Cars and vans the same age: 19% · Typical repair £200-£1200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
19%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (15% of failed tests, suspension)
- Position lamp: not working (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Suspension mounting area corroded, significantly reducing its strength (13% of failed tests, suspension)
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 Kalos 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 Kalos 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 Kalos 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 Kalos Running Costs
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Chevrolet Kalos FAQ
What are the most common Chevrolet Kalos problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Chevrolet Kalos that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (48% of the 972 failed tests), suspension (46%) and brakes (36%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn" (15%). Across 4,772 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 66% ended in a pass.
Is the Chevrolet Kalos reliable?
The Chevrolet Kalos has an average MOT pass rate of 66%, from 4,772 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 7 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Chevrolet Kalos years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2008 (65% of 1,219 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars), the 2006 (65% of 1,058 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars) and the 2007 (67% of 1,693 tests passed, against 73% for all 2007 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 Kalos faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Chevrolet Kalos 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